Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the name and location of each school, primary and second level that do not have broadband access as of 1 May 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21791/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that my Department is engaged in the roll-out of broadband internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry following the establishment of a three year€18m joint Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Fund to provide local broadband connectivity to schools. The broadband connectivity is being provided via a Schools National Broadband Network supported by HEAnet, which will provide managed Internet access, email, security controls, content filtering and other services designed to enhance the educational process. A broadband support service has also been established to assist schools with advice and information relating to the roll-out and ongoing use of their broadband connectivity within the schools network.

Following a public tendering process, contracts were finalised by June 2005 with six companies for the provision of local access connectivity to 3,925 schools (namely BT Ireland, Smart, Digiweb, Irish Broadband, Lastmile and HSData) and with Eircom for the provision of a broadband router at school level where appropriate. Roll out of the local connectivity and router installation commenced in June 2005. The installation process has two stages starting with the local broadband connectivity installation (involving DSL, Satellite or Wireless technology) followed by the installation of a high-speed router and circuit and acceptance testing. A school must then confirm that it has an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in place and it must indicate which content filtering option it requires prior to the activation of the schools' connectivity via the Schools National Broadband Network.

As of 1st May 2006, 3,579 schools have had their local connectivity installed and of these 3,374 have had their router capability installed and tested. The number of schools that had confirmed their AUP status and selected their content filtering option was 2,779. Progress is being made all the time and the Deputy may be interested to know that on the 2nd June 3,054 schools had confirmed their AUP status and selected their content filtering option. A list of the schools that had yet to have their local connectivity installed or their router capability installed or their AUP status confirmed is being forwarded directly to the Deputy. It should be noted that some of these schools will have their own independent broadband connectivity.

I should also mention that a further 74 schools have had broadband access provided under the Hermes and Advanced Deployment programmes.