The Deputy will be aware that significant resources have been expended by my Department under the Schools IT 2000 — 1998-2000 and Blueprint for the Future in Irish Education — 2001-03 initiatives to integrate ICT into first and second level education. Capital resources were made available directly to schools in respect of ICT infrastructure and are set out below for post-primary schools.
In addition, a range of ICT current support services were made available to teachers and schools, in particular in the areas of teacher professional development, technical advice and assistance through national and local structures, the promotion of ICT in the curriculum and the dissemination of best practice in the use of the technology in teaching and learning. This current resource was administered in the main through the national centre for technology in education, NCTE. Given the general crosscutting nature of the services, it would neither be feasible nor meaningful to desegregate between national, special national and post-primary schools. The overall expenditure is therefore set out in the following table:
Capital allocations to post-primary schools
|
€ million
|
1998
|
4.073
|
1999
|
4.538
|
2000
|
0.671
|
2001
|
8.208
|
2002
|
7.238
|
2003
|
2.356
|
Current — relevant to national, special national and post-primary schools
|
€ million
|
1998
|
3.809
|
1999
|
9.013
|
2000
|
8.257
|
2001
|
4.757
|
2002
|
6.791
|
2003
|
7.699
|