Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the arrangements in place to allow schools with information and communication technology equipment to access technical support for this equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34194/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In its 2005 Census on ICT Infrastructure in Schools, the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) asked a number of questions about technical support and maintenance. In their responses, 68% of primary schools, 55% of post-primary schools and 44% of special schools reported that they used the services of an IT contractor, where a fixed contract was not in place, while 8% of primary schools, 24% of post-primary schools and 17% of special schools used the services of an IT contractor under a fixed service contract. ICT co-ordinating teachers played an important role in providing technical support, providing services in 41% of primary schools, 66% of post-primary schools and 54% of special schools. Other schools used other staff members and parents provided support services in 9% of primary schools. Clearly, there are a range of school responses in place to address their technical support requirements.

The NCTE and the regionally based ICT advisory service provides advice to schools on pedagogical and technical issues and in this context the NCTE currently offers two specific training courses for teachers in the area of technical support and maintenance. My Department has requested the NCTE to review the technical support arrangements in place in schools, as reported in its recent Census and to advise me in this regard.