Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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331. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the information and communications technology grant for schools covers the procurement of educational social media platforms. [37232/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, sets out the Department's vision for embedding ICT in teaching learning and assessment in primary and post-primary schools. The Strategy recognises the issues schools face in relation to ICT infrastructure, and funding of €210m is committed to address these requirements over the period of the Strategy. The first tranche of funding of €30m in respect of the 2016-2017 school year issued to 3,158 primary schools and 667 post-primary schools earlier this year.

The purpose of this funding is to ensure that schools can support the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning. In considering how to allocate this funding, schools are advised to consider their Digital Learning Plan (also known as eLearning Plan), to ensure that any investment made in digital technologies aligns with that. Schools should consider why they might make a particular acquisition, and in particular how such an acquisition can support teaching and learning in their school. Having considered those questions, schools have flexibility regarding what to invest in to progress their digital learning objectives.

Details of the Grant Scheme for ICT Infrastructure, including eligibility criteria, the methodoly applied to calculating the payments and examples of what the funding may cover, can be found on the Department's website at .