Vol. 574 No. 1
270 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of ICT projects or initiatives being undertaken by his Department; the cost of each project; if they are being or have been delivered within budget and on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26071/03]
My Department recently implemented a new financial management system at a total cost of €2.9 million. This project was delivered on time and within budget. The main projects under way at present are as follows. Education Services Interactive – a major project which commenced in September 2003 to develop an Internet based framework for interactive communication between the Department and various partners, including schools. The first application to be delivered via this framework will be an on-line claims system, OLCS, to enable schools to make claims in respect of substitution, part-time teaching, special needs assistants, etc. The development cost for the framework and for OLCS will be in the region of €950,000. The development is progressing in accordance with a detailed project plan and all deliverables to date have been on time and within budget. The second application to be delivered via this framework will be a primary pupil database and a cost for this development has not yet been agreed. An in-house project to redevelop the Department's intranet is under way – this is an important medium for inter-staff communication and the re-development hardware and software costs will amount to approximately €70,000.
The Deputy may also be aware that my Department is also concerned with the integration of ICT into primary and secondary education under the current Blueprint for the Future of ICT in Irish Education 2001-2003. By the end of the year, when this initiative finishes, €77.3 million will have been invested in direct capital provision to schools and other current supports, including teacher professional development.
