Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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479. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the ICT grant will be paid to primary schools this year. [25769/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and the current Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 has been supported by €310 million in ICT Grant funding that has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This funding has enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment, in accordance with their digital learning plans.

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and it's associated implementation plan is underpinned by funding of €200m over the course of the strategy, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP), of which €100m has issued to date. The funding allocation model is provided for in the National Development Plan and commits to funding to issue over the period of the NDP, applied by the Department for the Digital Strategy duration (to 2027 for the current strategy).

As this is capital funding, grant issue in each year 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.

ICT Grant funding of €50 million issued to all recognised primary, special schools and post-primary schools in April 2024. This funding issued directly to schools, as they are best placed to determine the needs of their own students and have autonomy to do so, within the criteria applying to this funding.

The Department is aware of the importance of the ICT grants for schools. It is in this context, that the ICT grants and other capital expenditure priorities are being considered within the overall funds available. Engagement is ongoing with Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on capital funding priorities, including on the National Development Plan review process with a view to providing more clarity and certainty for schools on the timelines for payment of ICT Grant funding.