Vol. 484 No. 2
143 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of computers which will be allocated to each post primary school and each primary school in view of the recent education technology investment announcement; the basis on which these will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21597/97]
One of the most important goals stated in my Department's recently published policy framework document on information and communication technologies in education, Schools IT 2000, is that all first and second level schools will have at least one multimedia computer system connected to the Internet before the end of 1999. With the additional investment of Telecom Éireann, this goal will be realised substantially earlier i.e., before the end of 1998.
My Department has an overall target of installing at least 60,000 multimedia computers in all first and second level schools by 2001 with the assistance of public and private sector partnership. Schools IT 2000 involves a Government investment of £40 million. At least 60 per cent of this will be invested in assisting the development of an equipment infrastructure for schools.
The National Centre for Technology in Education will be established shortly in Dublin City University. This centre will have a particular role to play in developing and implementing arrangements and procedures for building up a schools' ICT equipment infrastructure in accordance with individual school needs and priorities. The NCTE will commence work in this area early in 1998.
