Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to develop information technology facilities in schools here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4930/07]

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her proposals to improve the information and communications technology facilities in schools here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4885/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 120 together.

The National Development Plan contains a provision of €252m for ICT in schools, the essential purpose of which is to advance the embedding of an e-Learning culture in teaching and learning in our schools. I intend to publish a new ICT strategy this year covering the period of the National Development Plan to 2013. I am putting in place a Strategy Planning Group to advise on the most appropriate prioritisation of measures and their phasing over the timescale of the National Development Plan.

As part of the development of this comprehensive new strategy, it will be necessary to consider and address a wide range of issues including teacher education, teacher professional development, curriculum developments, the maintenance of the national broadband network for schools, the upgrading and renewal of hardware and the provision of software and digital content for learning. The planned investment will also address maintenance and support requirements.

The National Development Plan emphasises that schools will be required to prepare and implement an e-Learning strategy for the school as an integral part of whole school planning and development. The school's e-Learning plan must be persuasive as regards the potential usage levels arising as a result of the investment and must clearly indicate how value for money will be achieved by addressing the expected outcomes and achievements for students along with indications as to how these outcomes and achievements will be measured. In that regard, evaluation of e-Learning outcomes will be integral to the school self-evaluation commitments required from schools and teachers under the Towards 2016 agreement.

It is my intention to now build on recent investment in the provision of networking grants to schools and the Schools Broadband Access Programme in developing the new ICT Strategy, based on the investments outlined in the NDP.