Vol. 532 No. 2
58 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress to date made under the IT 2000 initiative; the amount of money available for the initiative in 2000; and the amount of this money which has been spent. [6882/01]
The schools IT 2000 project was launched in November 1997 and, to the end of the year 2000, more than £40 million had been invested by the State in implementing the project. Some £20 million in additional funding was provided by the private sector.
The overall aim of schools IT 2000 is to ensure that pupils in every school have the opportunity to achieve computer and Internet literacy and to equip themselves for participation in the information society. To this end, grants issued to all schools, excluding further education colleges and schools not recognised for grant purposes under the free education scheme, to build up their technology infrastructure, a comprehensive teacher training programme in ICTs was provided and support services were established.
A survey carried out for my Department indicates that, to date there are approximately 56,000 multimedia computers in Irish first and second-level schools – an increase of 65% since 1998; 75% of teachers have taken ICT skills training courses; the ratio of pupils to computers has fallen to 17.7 to 1 at first level and 13 to 1 at second level; all schools have been provided with an Internet connection and over 90% of schools have used e-mail; 78% of second-level schools and 18% of first level schools have local area networks; 69% of second level schools have an ISDN connection and 62% have multi-user Internet access and 46% of second level schools and 15% of first level schools have websites.
In addition in first level schools there has been a significant increase in the use of ICT in the curriculum. This is especially so in English, other modern languages, learning support and mathematics; approximately 400 schools are participating in 70 innovative ICT projects under the schools integration project (SIP). The outcome of these projects is being evaluated and will be disseminated to assist in development of best practice not only in Ireland but further afield; and special funding was made available for pupils with special needs in recognition of the special benefits they have been shown to derive from use of ICT in their education and further dedicated funding of £1.75 million is being made available for this area in 2001.
Additional funding of £81 million – £60 million in capital and £21 million in current expenditure – over the three years 2000-02 was announced in November 1999. Most of the £7.1 million in current expenditure allocated for 2000 was spent on continued activities under the programme.
