Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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491. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when grants will be paid to secondary schools for the procurement of new equipment and the updating of existing equipment as part of the digital strategy; the communication processes in place with schools around this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26024/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (Enhancing Teaching, Learning & Assessment), launched in October 2015, sets out a clear vision for the role of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment in primary and post primary schools. The Strategy is focused on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens who participate fully in society and the economy.

The Strategy recognises that schools require public investment in their ICT equipment and infrastructure and accordingly a fund of €210 million to support the implementation of this Strategy has been committed beginning with an investment of €30 million in the current school year (2016/2017) rising to €50m annually towards the end of the Strategy. Oversight and consultative structures for the implementation of the strategy are currently being finalised and my Department will be in communication with schools on its progress.