James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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387. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding reduction in ICT grant funding allocated to school (details supplied); if she will address the concerns raised in correspondence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31875/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced €35 million in funding to support digital learning in schools. €35 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has now issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to enable the continued embedding of digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment This is the third tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.

The funding allocation model applying to the ICT Infrastructure Grant is detailed in the associated circular. All students following primary and post-primary programmes are included, for per capita purposes, in recognised primary, special and post-primary schools. An enhanced per capita rate applies to students enrolled in DEIS and Special schools and to pupils in mainstream special class primary settings. Information on the background to this scheme for the 2024-2025 school year, the rates and eligibility for this funding, is set out in the associated circular which can be found on .gov.ie website. Circular number 0042/2025

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). The funding allocation model is provided for in the National Development Plan, with funding to issue over the period of the NDP, applied by the Department for the Digital Strategy duration (to 2027 for the current strategy).

To date, a total of €135 million of the €200 million committed for in the NDP for the strategy has issued to schools through the ICT grant, including the recently issued grant. While the NDP commitment did not guarantee a specific amount in each year however, it is anticipated that issuing €35m in 2025, as announced by the Minister, will enable the balance of €65 million remaining to issue to schools over the remaining years of the current strategy to 2027.

This funding underpins the ongoing commitment to supporting and enabling schools to ensure the continued embedding of digital technologies in teaching learning and assessment.

Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to fulfil their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for the Government. The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It provides a targeted range of supports and is additional to the universal supports provided to all schools, such as the introduction of free schoolbooks and free hot school meals. My department invests over €180 million annually to provide additional supports to almost 1,200 schools in the DEIS programme which supports approximately 260,000 students.

As Minister, I am determined to close the performance gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and introduce more innovative solutions to tackle disadvantage. That is why I am committed to publishing a new DEIS Plan in 2025. Building on the expansion of the DEIS programme in 2022, the new DEIS plan will work towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.

Any future expansion of the DEIS programme, and overall allocation of supports to schools to tackle educational disadvantage, will be considered within the context of the DEIS plan and availability of resources.