Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her strategy to prevent a digital divide and ensure that every student, regardless of their socioeconomic background or geographic location, has access to the technology and digital literacy skills necessary to succeed. [59671/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education and youth’s Statement of Strategy sets out the vision, mission and goals in order to provide an education system where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. It aims to ensure that our school system is open and welcoming for all students, regardless of background, and that in particular learners at risk of educational disadvantage will be supported to achieve their full potential.

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027, published in April 2022, sets out the Department’s policy approach to continue the progress made in embedding digital technology across the curriculum and in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. Its stated vision is “to empower schools to harness the opportunities of digital transformation to build digital competence and an effective digital education ecosystem so as to develop competent, critically engaged, active learners while supporting them to reach their potential and participate fully as global citizens in a digital world”.

The Digital Strategy is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). To date, a total of €135 million of the €200 million committed to 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.

Additionally, 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.

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.

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. My department is investing over €180 million annually to provide additionalsupportsto almost 1,200 schools in the DEIS programme. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of a new DEIS Strategy and introduce a new DEIS Plus scheme, commencing in September 2026.

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.

Under the Assistive Technology Scheme, as set out in my department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes.

All equipment provided under this scheme supports children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment. It must be clear that the existing I.T. equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs. Where necessary, schools may also purchase new or additional equipment or software for students from normal school resources or funds.

The Assistive Technology Scheme, provided by my department, supplements the overall funding approach for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme supports children who require essential specialist equipment to access the school curriculum. For children with more complex disabilities who require such equipment to access the school curriculum, which they do not already have or which cannot be provided for them through the schools' existing provisions, schools can apply for this equipment under the terms of the Assistive Technology Scheme.

I can confirm that my Department is currently finalising a review of this scheme to ensure it is effectively supporting the children it is intended to serve, and that resources are being allocated as efficiently as possible.