Nora Owen
Ceist:135 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will consider an application by a group (details supplied) in Dublin 7 under the CAIT initiative for funding for its project. [4557/01]
Written Answers. - CAIT Initiative.
Denis Naughten
Ceist:142 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will approve an application for funding for a CAIT project submitted by the Carmichael Centre, Dublin 7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4831/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 142 together.
The community application of information technology – CAIT – initiative seeks to fund demonstration projects which encourage and assist those in our society who are unfamiliar with, and who do not use, the new information and communications technologies in their everyday lives. It is intended that the community and voluntary sector would undertake these projects. Over £2.5 million has been provided for this purpose from the information society fund over the period April 2001 to November 2002.
In excess of 450 proposals were received before the deadline of 15 February last. In the next number of weeks an independent steering group containing representatives of the Department of Public Enterprise, other Departments and the private sector will consider all of these proposals and make recommendations for funding. The CAIT initiative is just one of many initiatives being undertaken as part of a wider Government programme to ensure a fully inclusive information society in Ireland.