Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 27 February 2014, the reason the professional development service for teachers is sanctioning the use and purchase of iPads by students, when a much cheaper and more useful tablet is available on which one can use Microsoft Office applications and study for ECDL and many other computer courses, unlike the iPad, which is not compatible with the most common applications such as word and excel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16652/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I do not endorse or promote any product for use in schools. The decision on which device to use in a school to support implementation of the curriculum is made by each individual school themselves. The Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) does not sanction the use and purchase of any particular brand of tablet device. They are available to advise schools on how to integrate technology in teaching and learning including the introduction of Tablets in a school.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 140 of 11 March 2014, when teachers can choose a tablet such as the Microsoft Surface 2 which is, compatible with Microsoft Office applications such as, Word, Excel and Powerpoint, can be used for ECDL examination preparation and training for teachers and students and can be used for learning of visual basic, C sharp and C++ programming and SQL database language, but instead, the teachers choose a toy fashion accessory, the Apple iPad, at twice the cost to parents, and which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned learning, is the Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) completely neutral in respect of this damaging choice by teachers; his views that this is a damaging decision and one on which he will take immediate action to rectify and in order to prevent further damage to the prospects and opportunities of our students and in order to minimise expense to parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16653/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) does not endorse or promote any product for use in schools. They are available to advise schools on how to integrate technology in teaching and learning. The decision on the introduction of tablet devices and the type of tablet purchased is one that rests with the Board of Managment of a school.