Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Schools welcomed both the announcement by the Minister before Christmas of €22 million in funding and the decision to lodge the funding in school accounts before the Christmas break. I have been approached by individuals from a number of schools who argue that digital projectors are old hat. Many schools which have advanced far beyond this technology want to use the money provided by the Department in a creative manner, either by paying back loans for whiteboards or acquiring other technology. I do not want to discover later in the year that a large chunk of the €22 million has not been or could not be spent by virtue of the rigid conditions the Minister is setting. I ask him to reconsider the matter and allow schools greater flexibility. Many schools, thanks to having good ICT co-ordinators and principals, are miles ahead of what the Minister is establishing as a basic requirement.

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