Charlie McConalogue
Question:585. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the annual budget for the National Centre for Technology in Education in each of the years 2009 to date. [46294/15]
View answerThursday, 17 December 2015
Questions (585)
Written answers
In 2012, the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) merged with the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and is now known as the Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) - PDST-TIE.
My Department has provided in excess of €25m to the PDST-TIE (formally NCTE) since 2009. Funding for the years in question is set out as follows:
2009 - €5,449,000;
2010 - €5,120,000;
2011 - €3,828,326;
2012 - €3,076,670;
2013 - €2,760,000;
2014 - €2,611,571;
and 2015 - €2,411,250.
PDST-TIE also receives EU funding for its work in relation to European projects such as the Safer Internet Project and the EU Folio (ePortfolios).
There are significant additional expenditures incurred by my Department on the provision of broadband services and payment of equipment grants to schools. The recently published Digital Strategy for Schools sets out a clear vision for the role of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment and the PDST-TIE will have a key role in supporting teachers and schools in this regard over the next five years.