Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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597. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to explain in detail how the allocation of STEM funding for schools was conducted and decided; and if a school's application (details supplied) was considered. [1148/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters project.

When the grant scheme was announced the Department indicated that it had funding of €1.5m available. There was a phenomenal demand from schools with around 3,000 applications received. Every application received by the deadline of 5pm on the 30th November was read and processed, leaving 2,727 schools, including Harold Boys National School, Dalkey, with an ask amounting of over €25m.

Given the very high number of valid applications and the budget available for the scheme, a decision was made by the Department to run a lottery, where a random number generator was used to pick out schools based on their line on the spreadsheet. The application for each school was then assessed on a case by case basis with the applications read again by the evaluation team, to ensure they met the requirements as set out in the grant call. Any school deemed not to have met the requirements was removed. The procedure was then repeated until all the budget available was allocated.

As the initial funding available at the time of call for applications was €1.5m, the Department worked to secure as much additional funding as possible, bringing the total available to €4.7m. Unfortunately, on this occasion, this additional funding fell short of the ask of over €25m. The Department is front loading the grant scheme in 2023/2024 school year and it is hoped that a further round of funding can be run this year. This means that eligible schools that were not successful this time may receive funding in the future.

It should be noted that the Department also supports STEM through other areas such as teacher professional development and the development of resources, as well as through supporting initiatives such as SciFest, ESB Science Blast, the Discover programme with Science Foundation Ireland and BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

I am aware of the time and effort that was put in by schools to the application process and the frustration felt by the schools however there was limited money available to my Department. The Department will be in contact with schools In relation to any future funding that becomes available.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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598. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the ICT grant will be paid to primary schools for 2023/2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1149/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021.

The previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 saw overall investment of €210m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in annual grant funding. This funding enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment.

Funding of €50m secured as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility also issued to all recognised schools in the free education scheme to support learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide in late 2021.

My Department intends to pay the next tranche of ICT grant funding before the end of the 2023 to 2024 school year. The specific timing for issue of the ICT grant is subject to the availability of Exchequer funding and the wider capital needs of the Department including the building programme to ensure the supply of school accommodation.

As part of the forthcoming Review of the National Development Plan, my Department’s aim is to provide better clarity and certainty for schools on the timelines for payment of minor works and ICT grant funding.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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599. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason funding for the ICT grant was not paid to schools for the school year 2022/2023 despite it being listed as a grant that was due to schools. [1150/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021.

The previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 saw overall investment of €210m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in annual grant funding. This funding enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment.

Funding of €50m secured as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility also issued to all recognised schools in the free education scheme to support learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide in late 2021.

The 2022/23 ICT grant was not paid in that school year, due to the wider capital needs of the Department including the building programme to ensure the supply of school accommodation. My Department intends to pay the next tranche of ICT grant funding before the end of the 2023/2024 school year. The specific timing for issue of the ICT grant is subject to the availability of Exchequer funding.

As part of the review of the National Development Plan, my Department’s aim is to provide better clarity and certainty for schools on the timelines for payment of minor works and ICT grant funding.