Vol. 488 No. 2
190 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of the 60,000 multimedia computers promised for second level schools by the year 2001 which will be installed in 1998; and the selection criteria, if any, for choosing the schools. [5848/98]
There is a commitment under the "Technology Integration Initiative" in Schools IT 2000 — A Policy Framework for the New Millennium that all schools will be assisted by my Department in putting in place at least one multimedia computer system with Internet access before the end of 1999. Additionally, Telecom Éireann has agreed to supply each school with a multimedia computer system by September 1998.
I expect that as a result of Telecom Éireann and Department of Education and Science plans, approximately 8,500 multimedia computers will be provided to schools by the end of 1998. Since all schools will receive multimedia computers in 1998, the question of devising selection criteria for their distribution does not arise.
