Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

The change to which the Deputy refers arises from a value for money review of the ICT support service undertaken by my Department, which will shortly be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The review concluded that while the service is generally effective and efficient, the resources currently utilised by the operation of the service from the regional education centres would be better employed in focusing supports for ICT leadership and change within each school. The review highlights the need to ensure the integration of ICT is specifically incorporated into all support service activities funded by my Department and that it is recognised as an integral part of all curriculum development, support and training rather than as an optional add-on.

There are three vacancies among the 21 ICT adviser posts attached to the regional full-time education centres. A further post is due to be vacated in September following the retirement of an ICT adviser. Of the remaining 17 posts, 14 are filled by teachers on secondment from their teaching duties and three are filled on a non-secondment contract basis. These posts have been renewed annually. Against this background, the education centres have been advised by the National Centre for Technology in Education, NCTE, that my Department is not prepared to renew secondment arrangements for the 14 teachers seconded as ICT advisers. The NCTE has discussed the implementation of these arrangements with the education centres and the schools concerned and my Department will ensure that any difficulties arising in specific schools due to the return of the teachers concerned will be addressed. The position of the three non-seconded ICT advisers is under consideration.

The role of ICT co-ordinating teachers, with the support of school principals, will be prioritised in the provision of ongoing ICT support and advice to teachers. Local school-based and peer-to-peer support has been identified internationally as the most effective way to further ICT integration in schools.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

This emphasis on in-school promotion and support for ICT integration in learning and teaching is consistent with the findings of the report of the strategy group appointed to advise on the priorities for investment in ICT in schools and the evaluation report undertaken by my Department's inspectorate on the impact of ICT on teaching and learning. These reports will be published shortly.

I have previously indicated to the Deputy that I am reviewing the overall financial position for my Department, having regard to spending trends to date and emerging pressures, prior to making decisions on specific areas of expenditure such as ICT in schools. I expect to be in a position to make such decisions shortly.

A key area of the ICT in schools programme is the provision of broadband connectivity to schools. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has worked in partnership with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Telecommunications and Internet Federation on the current schools broadband programme. I am sure the Deputy will welcome the launch this morning of the next-generation broadband policy paper, which includes the objective of equipping second-level schools with broadband connectivity of 100 Mbps and installing local area networks. I look forward to working with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, in the pursuit of this objective.

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