Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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291. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of digital devices provided to primary schools under the assistive technology scheme in 2023, 2022 and 2021; and the cost per year of same. [26195/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs. An additional €2 million funding was secured in Budget 2023 for the Assistive Technology scheme. This represents an increase of almost 60% on funding allocated previously to this essential support. This increased allocation supports my Department’s commitment to ensure that a full range of resources, not just teachers and SNAs, are available to support children who most need it.

The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by my Department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme supports children who require essential specialist equipment in order to access the school curriculum. I see assistive technology as a critical enabler for those with special educational needs to gain the maximum benefit from a modern technologically focused education system.

Although equipment is sanctioned under the Assistive Technology scheme for use by particular students, it is the property of the school, and the school’s management authority is responsible for maintenance, repair, and insurance of the equipment.

The statistical Information in relation to assistive technology is recorded by individual application. Information under the Assistive Technology scheme from 2021 and the cost per year are included in the below table:

This strategy will advance the embedding of digital technologies across teaching, learning and assessment, building on the work under previous strategies. It aims to further support the school system so that all students across our schools have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to navigate an ever-evolving digital world successfully.

As part of this strategy an ICT Grant will be provided to schools, with €200 million committed over the period of the Strategy. This approach facilitates multi-annual planning by schools to allow them to plan effectively for all of their children. The Department also funds broadband connectivity to all recognised primary, special and post-primary schools through the Schools Broadband Programme at an annual cost of some €13m.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of digital devices provided to post-primary schools under the assistive technology scheme in 2023, 2022 and 2021; and the cost per year of same. [26196/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs. An additional €2 million funding was secured in Budget 2023 for the Assistive Technology scheme. This represents an increase of almost 60% on funding allocated previously to this essential support. This increased allocation supports my Department’s commitment to ensure that a full range of resources, not just teachers and SNAs, are available to support children who most need it.

The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by my Department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme supports children who require essential specialist equipment in order to access the school curriculum. I see assistive technology as a critical enabler for those with special educational needs to gain the maximum benefit from a modern technologically focused education system.

Although equipment is sanctioned under the Assistive Technology scheme for use by particular students, it is the property of the school, and the school’s management authority is responsible for maintenance, repair, and insurance of the equipment.

Information in relation to Assistive Technology devices that have been provided to post-primary schools to date under the Assistive Technology scheme since 2021and the cost per year are included in the below table:

This strategy will advance the embedding of digital technologies across teaching, learning and assessment, building on the work under previous strategies. It aims to further support the school system so that all students across our schools have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to navigate an ever-evolving digital world successfully.

As part of this strategy an ICT Grant will be provided to schools, with €200 million committed over the period of the Strategy. This approach facilitates multi-annual planning by schools to allow them to plan effectively for all of their children. The Department also funds broadband connectivity to all recognised primary, special and post-primary schools through the Schools Broadband Programme at an annual cost of some €13m.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the full year cost for the digital grants for primary schools. [26199/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published in April 2022 and builds on the achievements of the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020. It aims to further support the school system so that all students across our schools have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and the skills they need to navigate an ever-evolving digital world successfully. The strategy was developed following an extensive consultation process with all relevant stakeholders including students, parents/guardians, teachers and industry and sets out the various supports and resources available to schools in this important area.

Under the National Development Plan 2021-2030 €200m has been committed to support the implementation of the Digital Strategy. The first tranche of ICT grant funding under the Strategy of €50m in respect of the 2021-2022 school year issued in December 2021, which included funding of €30m for Primary Schools. The remaining funding will issue over the lifetime of the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.

As with funding under the previous strategy, the funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 issues directly to schools as they are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in the most appropriate way in accordance with their digital learning plan.

The full year funding for Primary schools for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 is as follows -

2021: ICT Grant 2021/2022 school year - €30,125,067

2021: Digital Divide ICT grant - €32,724,915

2022: No funding issued

2023: No funding issued year to date.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the full year cost for the digital grants for post-primary schools. [26200/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published in April 2022 and builds on the achievements of the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020. It aims to further support the school system so that all students across our schools have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and the skills they need to navigate an ever-evolving digital world successfully. The strategy was developed following an extensive consultation process with all relevant stakeholders including students, parents/guardians, teachers and industry and sets out the various supports and resources available to schools in this important area.

Under the National Development Plan 2021-2030 €200m has been committed to support the implementation of the Digital Strategy. The first tranche of ICT grant funding under the Strategy of €50m in respect of the 2021-2022 school year issued in December 2021, which included funding of €19.8m for Post Primary Schools. The remaining funding will issue over the lifetime of the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.

As with funding under the previous strategy, the funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 issues directly to schools as they are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in the most appropriate way in accordance with their digital learning plan.

The full year funding for Post Primary schools for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023 is as follows -

2021: ICT Grant 2021/2022 school year - €19,855,079

2021: Digital Divide ICT grant - €16,734,524

2022: No funding issued

2023: No funding issued in the year to date.