Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made on implementation of the Investing Effectively in Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2008 to 2013 report. [21908/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Strategy Group Report, Investing Effectively in ICT in Schools, 2008-2013, proposes a comprehensive agenda for pursuing the integration of ICT into teaching and learning in our schools and provides an essential strategic framework which has been invaluable to my Department in enhancing and refining the ICT in Schools Programme. As the Deputy may be aware, following publication of the Strategy Group Report, a Joint Advisory Group was commissioned to advise on specific priorities for investment in this context, and published its report ("Smart Schools = Smart Economy") in November 2009, with a particular focus on investment priorities over the period 2010-2012.

My Department has actively pursued key recommendations made in these reports within available resources. While it would not be practical to outline every individual action taken in this response, I would draw the Deputy's attention in particular to the distribution of some €92m in ICT Infrastructure Grant funding across primary and post-primary schools since November 2009. This new scheme prioritises the equipping of all classrooms with digital projectors, teaching computers, wireless mice and wireless keyboards, with schools free to spend remaining grant funding on other ICT hardware and software purchases in line with local needs. Central national "Framework" contracts have been made available to schools to assist them in getting better value for money in their ICT procurements and to provide them with the benefit of three-year next-business-day on site warranties as standard. A national programme of "elearning" seminars has also been made available to all primary and post-primary principals, to assist them in planning for the integration of ICT into teaching and learning practice and in making best use of the recent infrastructural investment. As the Deputy will appreciate, my Department is not currently in a position to commit additional resources to ICT capital investment having regard to other priorities. I am fully aware of the importance of integrating ICT into teaching and learning and remain committed to investing in this area as resources permit.