Grant Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 May 2023

Thursday, 11 May 2023

Questions (177)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

177. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the reason primary schools receive a lower rate of ICT grant per pupil than post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22215/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published in April 2022 and builds on the achievements of the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020. It aims to further support the school system so that all students across our schools have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to navigate an ever-evolving digital world successfully. The strategy was developed following an extensive consultation process with all relevant stakeholders including students, parents/guardians, teachers and industry and sets out the various supports and resources available to schools in this important area.

The strategy is underpinned by an overall investment of €200m, €50m of which has already issued directly to schools in respect of the 2020 to 2021 school year.

The rates of per capita payment applied for primary and post-primary schools for the ICT Infrastructure grants reflects that a rate difference is also applied to the general capitation paid by the Department. Post-primary schools generally have a greater number of teaching spaces to equip and maintain, and have a broader curriculum and more specialised curricular areas to support. The pupil-teacher ratio in post-primary schools is lower, which means that they generally have a greater number of teachers to provide for. This is the approach typically taken by the Department in relation to similar grant schemes that apply to primary and post-primary. However it should be noted that the first tranche of grant funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 saw a proportional increase in the funding applied to primary schools, thereby reducing the difference in rates between the two sectors that had applied to the funding issued under the Digital Strategy 2015 to 2020.