Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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641. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of ICT grants awarded to post primary schools in County Kerry. [1467/24]

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 issue the next tranche of ICT grant funding in 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.

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the Number of ICT grants for Secondary schools in County Kerry for when the ICT grant last issued, which was in December 2021, for the school year 2021/2021 is as follows, additionally I have included a breakdown of Digital Divide Grant under the NRRP which also issued to schools at the same time.