Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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444. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 524.the number of ICT grants awarded to post primary schools in County Louth during the 2024-2025 school term. [38672/25]

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 issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools.

This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the third tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.

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 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).

To date, a total of €100 million of the €200 million committed for in the NDP for the strategy has issued to schools through the ICT 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 continue to embed digital technologies in teaching learning and assessment.

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of ICT grants paid to County Louth schools for 2024/25 school year, plus the breakdown for each, is attached.