Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount required to include newer schools built since 2013 in the scheme for new computers for schools, considering the small number of new schools as a proportion of the overall number of schools nationwide; if his Department will review the policy of excluding the newer schools to help refresh the information technology hardware in all schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6523/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, €210m was committed to fund ICT Infrastructure for schools over the period of the Strategy. For the 2016-2017, some €30m was allocated and is now being distributed to eligible schools. The amounts to be paid per school are based on the number of qualifying students enrolled in eligible schools, and so the €30m is fully allocated.

New schools and schools in new buildings receive ICT equipment grants as part of their furniture and equipment funding. For primary schools, €5,000 per classroom is allocated, while at post-primary level, the allocation depends on the room use - a business/computer room for example is allocated some €26,500 for that room alone. General classrooms are also allocated funding at post-primary level. The cut off year at which schools will become eligible will move forward year on year - so a school that opened in 2013 for example, will become eligible for funding in the 2017-2018 school year, and so on. There are no plans to review the criteria for the scheme.

Subject to the availability of exchequer funding, it is anticipated that an equipment grant scheme will operate in each year up to the 2020-2021 school year.

The 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.