Holly Cairns
Ceist:547. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which the sites for the Airband technology exploratory initiative were chosen. [14570/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 7 July 2020
Ceisteanna (547, 548)
Holly Cairns
Ceist:548. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will include a site in west County Cork in the Airband technology exploratory initiative. [14571/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 547 and 548 together.
The Airband initiative is an exploratory project involving my Department, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and Microsoft Ireland, to explore the possibility of using a new technology to deliver free broadband to second-level students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their Leaving Cert. cycle.
The initiative will explore the capacity to use the existing high-speed broadband connection in a public libraries across each of five counties - Carlow, Donegal, Kilkenny, Mayo and Waterford - as a conduit to connect students in households which currently do not have adequate internet access. The initiative will be targeted primarily at students enrolled in Delivering Equality of Opportunity (DEIS) schools.
The five counties to participate in the trial initiative were selected on the basis of a number of criteria, including the internet capacity of public libraries within each county and the proximity of public libraries in those counties to DEIS schools. The selection of these locations was a collaborative process between my Department and the LGMA.
The individual library branches and specific schools for participation within these counties have yet to be finalised, and the final decisions will involve a range of stakeholders including my Department, the LGMA and the Department of Education and Skills in the context of identifying suitable DEIS schools.
The trial initiative will last for a maximum of 24 months, with a progress evaluation to be conducted every six months by an Evaluation Board. The outcomes of the trial initiative will determine the potential to expand the project into other locations.