Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the allocation of money made in 2006 and 2007 for the purpose of the provision of a computer room at a school (details supplied); the allocation of money made available for the purchase and provision of computers to equip this room in 2006 and 2007; the moneys she will make available in 2008 for further provision of computers for this computer room; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8377/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The two major investment priorities under the ICT in Schools Programme over the past few years have been the provision of grant aid to schools to develop their computer networks and the establishment of the Schools Broadband Network and the provision of broadband access to schools.

The school in question received a grant of €11,500 under the ICT in Schools Programme to develop its internal networking facilities and the school has confirmed its expenditure of this grant in 2006. The school has also been provided with broadband connectivity under the Schools Broadband Access Programme.

I am aware of the benefits that good use of ICT can bring to our children's education and I am conscious of the need for further investment to realise the full potential of integrating ICT into teaching and learning. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government sets out our commitment to implementing a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy which will be underpinned by the investment of €252m which is provided for in the National Development Plan 2007-2013. I have appointed a Strategy Group to advise me on the prioritisation of measures under the planned investment over the period of the NDP. Among the issues which the new strategy will address are the upgrading and renewal of hardware, the provision of software and digital content for learning, teacher professional development, curriculum development, the maintenance of the national broadband network for schools and technical maintenance and support requirements.

I will be shortly publishing the report of the Strategy Group together with my implementation plan.