Computerisation Programme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 April 2007

Thursday, 26 April 2007

Ceisteanna (190, 191, 192, 193, 194)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

191 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools connected to broadband by county and type of school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15717/07]

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

192 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools each of the broadband companies have completed connection to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15718/07]

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

193 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools who were connected to a company (details supplied) before their collapse; if they have been connected to another supplier; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15719/07]

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

194 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of the original budget for broadband connection for schools that has been spent; the amount of additional money being committed to complete the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15720/07]

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

195 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the Government target in relation to the connection of schools to broadband; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15721/07]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 195, inclusive, together.

The Schools Broadband Access Programme involves the provision of broadband internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Agreement to provide local broadband connectivity to schools. The Agreement provides for the establishment of a three year €18m joint Government-IBEC/TIF Fund, with industry contributing €5m per annum and the Government contributing €1m per annum.

The broadband connectivity is being provided via a Schools National Broadband Network supported by HEAnet, which will provide managed Internet access, email, security controls, content filtering and other services designed to enhance the educational process. A Broadband Support Service Desk has also been established to assist schools with advice and information relating to the roll-out and ongoing use of their broadband connectivity within the schools network. The overall cost of the Schools Broadband Access Programme, including the initial set-up and ongoing costs over the three years, were estimated at some €30m. At this stage, in the second year of the programme, approximately €18 million has already been spent.

Following a public tendering process, contracts were finalised in 2005 with six Service Providers for the provision of local access connectivity to 3,925 schools and with a further Provider for the installation of a broadband router at school level where appropriate. Roll out of the local connectivity and router installation commenced in June 2005 and the vast majority of schools(97%) have been successfully connected to the Network. My Department is monitoring the position of the outstanding schools, where the installation is awaited due to building programmes or installation difficulties. My Department is arranging for some 31 additional new schools to be connected to the Network.

The breakdown of the 3,796 schools that have been successfully connected to the Network by individual service providers is as follows:

BT Ireland: 288

Digiweb Ltd: 1,598

High Speed Data Solutions Ltd: 55

Irish Broadband Internet Services Ltd: 508

Last Mile Ltd: 169

Smart Telecom: 1,178

The position in relation to Smart Telecom is that the company is continuing to provide services as an authorised operator approved by the Commission for Communications Regulation.

A further 72 schools have had broadband access provided under the Hermes and Advanced Deployment programmes and therefore currently have broadband connections independent of the Schools Broadband Access Programme. The number of primary and post-primary schools with broadband connectivity by county (based on the Schools Broadband Access Programme installations and the Hermes and Advanced Deployment programmes) is appended for the Deputy's information.

It should be noted that a number of the schools that have not been connected under the Schools Broadband Access Programme will have their own independent broadband connectivity.

Number of Schools Connected to Broadband By County

County	Number of Primary Schools Connected to Broadband	Number of Post-Primary Schools Connected to Broadband	Total Number of Schools Connected to Broadband
Carlow	40	11	51
Cavan	78	11	89
Clare	116	18	134
Cork	360	82	442
Donegal	171	26	197
Dublin	431	172	603
Galway	234	45	279
Kerry	141	25	166
Kildare	96	27	123
Kilkenny	78	15	93
Laois	63	10	73
Leitrim	39	9	48
Limerick	141	34	175
Longford	41	9	50
Louth	71	17	88
Mayo	178	28	206
Meath	101	16	117
Monaghan	63	11	74
Offaly	67	12	79
Roscommon	93	8	101
Sligo	70	15	85
Tipperary	161	31	192
Waterford	74	18	92
Westmeath	73	15	88
Wexford	100	20	120
Wicklow	84	19	103
Total	3,164	704	3,868