Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced the distribution of €20.75m in post-primary level ICT Infrastructure grants under the ICT in Schools Programme. These capital grants are designed to assist schools in the integration of ICT into teaching and learning in a curricular context from Junior to Senior cycles. At present, there is a particular emphasis on supporting the revised Maths curricula in tandem with the national rollout of Project Maths.

In this context, it would not have been appropriate to include the Colleges of Further Education to which the Deputy refers in the post-primary ICT Infrastructure Grants scheme, in so far as they did not have enrolments from junior to senior cycles. As the Deputy may be aware, funding is however allocated in respect of these Colleges in relation to relevant further education provisions. For example, staff are allocated to deliver post-leaving certificate (PLC) courses on the basis of a pupil teacher ratio (PTR) of 17:1. Enhanced PLC capitation of €185.38 in addition to the standard post-primary non-pay grants is provided, based on the number of approved places or enrolments in the previous academic year, whichever is the lower. The annual grant is intended to help defray overheads on PLC courses including repairs and maintenance. Learners who satisfy the terms of the PLC Maintenance Grant Scheme are eligible to receive maintenance grants.