Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2020
207. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the breakdown of the funding for laptops for disadvantaged third-level students for each qualified college in tabular form; the number of laptops supplied to individual students from each college involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31995/20]
View answerAs part of a package of COVID-19 supports for the higher and further education sectors, my Department has allocated €15 million to higher and further education providers for a once-off COVID-19 grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices.
This initiative addresses concerns regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended models of learning as a result of COVID-19 and the importance of supporting disadvantaged students to adapt to these new models.
Devices procured using the grant will be distributed by Higher Education Institutions and Education and Training Boards to disadvantaged students via appropriate lending schemes. Over 16,700 laptops have been procured and shipped as part of a bulk order organised by HEAnet, while additional devices are being procured by some providers directly.
I am including in the tables beneath, for the Deputy's information, the grant allocated to each provider; the number of devices procured by the HEIs and ETBs under the HEAnet bulk order and also the number of devices procured by the ETBs directly. Please note that the Department does not currently have detail in relation to the numbers of devices procured by the HEIs directly; however, this information has been requested and will be provided to the Deputy once available.
|
HEI |
Grant Allocated |
Devices (HEAnet) |
|
DCU |
€641,843 |
702 |
|
NUI Galway |
€682,999 |
835 |
|
TCD |
€466,224 |
711 |
|
TU Dublin |
€1,290,463 |
1,400 |
|
UCC |
€590,432 |
0 - all procured directly |
|
UCD |
€777,017 |
837 |
|
UL |
€563,413 |
884 |
|
MU |
€577,223 |
745 |
|
Mary Immaculate College, Limerick |
€219,065 |
333 |
|
NCAD |
€41,603 |
47 |
|
RCSI |
€64,498 |
71 |
|
St Angela's College, Sligo |
€71,748 |
109 |
|
Athlone IT |
€272,480 |
387 |
|
CIT |
€515,866 |
500 |
|
IADT |
€101,760 |
0 - all procured directly |
|
Dundalk IT |
€257,965 |
315 |
|
GMIT |
€357,694 |
403 |
|
IT Carlow |
€529,694 |
671 |
|
IT Sligo |
€263,885 |
397 |
|
IT Tralee |
€151,199 |
127 |
|
Letterkenny IT |
€373,339 |
350 |
|
Limerick IT |
€384,980 |
622 |
|
Waterford IT |
€522,544 |
844 |
|
St. Patrick's College, Maynooth |
€13,751 |
15 |
|
Marino Institute of Education |
€45,373 |
47 |
|
National College of Ireland |
€222,942 |
288 |
|
Total |
€10,000,000 |
11640 |
|
ETB |
Grant Allocated |
Devices (HEAnet) |
Devices (Procured directly) |
Total Devices |
|
Cavan and Monaghan ETB |
€211,000 |
160 |
160 |
320 |
|
City of Dublin ETB |
€887,000 |
1200 |
90 |
1290 |
|
Cork ETB |
€469,500 |
647 |
0 |
647 |
|
Donegal ETB |
€184,500 |
550 |
0 |
550 |
|
Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB |
€489,000 |
693 |
0 |
693 |
|
Galway and Roscommon ETB |
€326,000 |
498 |
1 |
499 |
|
Kerry ETB |
€176,500 |
282 |
0 |
282 |
|
Kildare and Wicklow ETB |
€240,500 |
356 |
0 |
356 |
|
Kilkenny and Carlow ETB |
€171,500 |
0 |
343 |
343 |
|
Laois and Offaly ETB |
€145,000 |
0 |
300 |
300 |
|
Limerick Clare ETB |
€385,000 |
0 |
900 |
900 |
|
Longford and Westmeath ETB |
€145,500 |
0 |
120 |
120 |
|
Louth and Meath ETB |
€313,500 |
250 |
173 |
423 |
|
Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB |
€263,000 |
400 |
0 |
400 |
|
SOLAS Funded Groups |
€35,500 |
0 |
TBC |
TBC |
|
Tipperary ETB |
€191,000 |
200 |
0 |
200 |
|
VSCCS |
€58,000 |
0 |
TBC |
TBC |
|
Waterford and Wexford ETB |
€308,000 |
453 |
0 |
453 |
|
Total |
€5,000,000 |
5689 |
2087 |
7776 |
