Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be sourced to undertake a large-scale project to examine the benefits of cloud-based virtual desktop infrastructure in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28917/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Decisions as to the appropriate technology and infrastructure for each school situation are taken by the management of individual schools, or by Education and Training Boards in respect of their schools, in compliance with relevant financial and procurement regulations. In that context, my Department has no plans for a large scale project to examine the benefits of virtual desktop infrastructure. Extensive advice and information for schools on deploying such technologies can be found on the PDST Technology in Education website www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie.

The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 reflects the Department’s current policy on the embedding of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment. It sets out a clear vision that is focussed 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 sets out a programme of work for the 2015-2020 period and is organised around four themes:

- Teaching, Learning and Assessment Using ICT

- Teacher Professional Learning

- Leadership, Research and Policy

- ICT Infrastructure

An investment of €210m, for multi-annual ICT Infrastructure Grants to schools is being made available over the period the Digital Strategy for Schools. The second tranche of this funding (€30m), in respect of the 2017/2018 school year, has already issued to schools. The provision of funding will support the schools in updating and renewing their ICT infrastructure and assist schools to embed innovative and cutting edge technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment in their schools.

I am also providing additional supports to clusters of schools, under the Schools Excellence Fund – Digital programme, to progress the vision of the Digital Strategy for schools 2015-2020. The aim of this programme is to recognise and support innovation and excellence and facilitate schools to work together on projects that enhance teaching and learning through the use digital technology. 32 clusters, involving some 200 schools, have been selected to participate in the programme. The school clusters will commence the projects in the coming school year 2018/19 and will run for a period of 3 years and will include the development of an accompanying evaluation framework.