Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the provision of personal computers and WiFi in the homes of students at a particular disadvantage such as Traveller children will be supported; and if so, if such support will be provided through individual schools or another intermediary. [29427/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This year total ICT grants of €50m have been provided by my Department to schools to support provision of technology and devices. This includes €40m for an annual ICT grant to eligible schools which provides for schools to buy equipment for use by students and teachers in developing digital technology approaches to teaching and learning.

Under the €40m ICT grant funding, DEIS schools receive an additional 10% on the per capita amount issued relative to non-DEIS schools. A total of €7 million additional funding was provided in the post-primary sector and €3m in the primary sector.

A further €10m in the form of top-up funding was also made available to all primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme.

Schools were asked to prioritise this €50m funding to address situations where students were disadvantaged in their engagement with the schools remote teaching and learning due to lack of access to digital devices. The devices will remain the property of the schools and loaned to the student to assist them in their studies.