Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the funding requirement for a new X-ray machine for the Waterford Institute of Technology SEAM Technology gateway will be reviewed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22598/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The proposal for a High Energy X-ray Computed Tomography for Additive Manufacturing, Automotive, Aerospace, & Heavy Industry was submitted to SFI under the 2018 SFI Infrastructure Programme Call.

The Infrastructure Call supports the research community in building and sustaining the required infrastructural capacity to accomplish high quality, high impact and innovative research in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics that demonstrably enhance and underpin enterprise competitiveness and societal development in Ireland.

The proposal submitted by Waterford Institute of Technology was reviewed by an international panel of experts and was deemed to be fundable. However, due to the budget available to SFI for the programme, it has been placed on a reserve list until the end of 2020. Should further funding become available to SFI before the end of 2020 this proposal will be considered for funding along with other proposals on the reserve list.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when laptops ordered to assist students with online and blended learning will be available to students of further education colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22629/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A fund for student devices worth €15 million was part of a €168 million package for further and higher education sectors to deal with the impacts of Covid-19. Funding of €10 million has been provided to the higher education sector and €5m to the Further Education and Training sector.

The funding is being provided to eligible Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and ETBs (plus a number of other SOLAS-funded FET providers) in accordance with allocation models agreed with the HEA and SOLAS.

My Department has worked closely with the HEA, SOLAS, ETBI and HEANet (the entity providing connectivity and associated ICT services to education and research bodies across Ireland) to design and deliver the grant support. This funding has already allowed higher education institutions and further education institutions place a bulk order of 16,700 devices for students.

The specific arrangements for the distribution of the devices to disadvantaged students are a matter for each individual institution. HEANet is endeavouring to ensure that the laptops are available in each institution by, or as close as possible to, the start of the academic year, and deliveries are being scheduled to take account of individual start dates. Due to reopening of FET institutions generally happening in advance of the reopening of higher education, delivery of devices to those settings is being prioritised. Under the terms of the grant, devices must remain the property of the HEI/ETB, be offered to students under appropriate lending schemes, and also comply with certain conditions of sanction set down by the Office of Government Chief Information Officer in relation to security and appropriate usage.