Vol. 497 No. 5
381 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 376 of 24 November 1998, he will outline the way in which £100 million will be spent on the educational technology investments in view of the fact that on 24 November only £19 million had been expended; and the projected expenditure in the remainder of the year in accordance with the information requested in Parliamentary Question No. 376. [25808/98]
Under the terms of the Scientific and Technological Education (Investment) Fund Act, 1997, the sum of £100 million is to be paid into the fund in 1998 from moneys provided by the Oireachtas. To date projects estimated to cost approximately 75 per cent of the fund have been approved by my Department. These include infrastructure improvements, the provision of skills needs places, research and development and IT-related school based projects. As a result, institutions are now proceeding as quickly as possible to implement the planning of these projects and to secure tenders.
The £19 million expended to date must therefore be viewed in the context of the larger development programme which has been put in place. One of the features of this scheme is that funding is available and has been set aside for specific projects and the institutions are therefore in a position to proceed with the implementation programme on that basis.
I am glad to report that excellent progress has been made to date with the implementation of the scheme. At this stage, detailed estimated cash-flows are being prepared for the projects but initial indications are that in excess of £45 million will have been expended from the fund by the end of 1998.
The Deputy will appreciate that the very purpose of the fund is to introduce certainty to the planning of the projects and, as such, it is the duration of the programme that matters and not the intended expenditure in 12 months.
