Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 35: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the decision in Budget 2011 to significantly cut the allocation for schools information and communications technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47678/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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While the capital allocation of €1.5 million in 2011 for Schools Information and Communications Technology is lower than the 2010 allocation, it is important to note that two thirds of the proposed funding under the Smart Schools = Smart Economy Report has been provided to schools in the past 12 months. The Smart Schools = Smart Economy Report proposed that €150m be invested in the ICT in Schools Programme over a three year period and €92m in capital funding has been provided. Also to date in 2010, €9m has been spent on broadband connectivity to schools, continuous professional development and other initiatives to further integrate ICT into teaching and learning. The funding provided to date has allowed schools to ensure that at least the recommended baseline of ICT equipment is in place.

The focus in 2011 will be to build on the considerable progress made in equipping schools with the necessary ICT hardware. The ICT in Schools Steering Group established under the Smart Schools Report has a role to play in ensuring that the equipment deployed in schools to date will be utilised fully.

My Department will work closely with the National Centre for Technology in Education and the ICT in Schools Steering Group and focus on continuous professional development and increasing digital resources for schools. The ICT in Schools Steering group has responsibility for providing advice on future policy directions, taking account of technology developments and future trends and will advise on the organisational approach to integrating ICT into teaching and learning. The group also acts as a forum to foster the sharing of best practice in, and innovative approaches to, integrating ICT into teaching and learning.

My Department is currently assessing a number of innovative ICT projects and it is proposed to establish demonstration projects in schools which will assist my Department and the National Centre for Technology in Education in forming future ICT policy for schools.