225. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 27 February 2014, the reason the professional development service for teachers is sanctioning the use and purchase of iPads by students, when a much cheaper and more useful tablet is available on which one can use Microsoft Office applications and study for ECDL and many other computer courses, unlike the iPad, which is not compatible with the most common applications such as Word and Excel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16652/14]

I do not endorse or promote any product for use in schools. The decision on which device to use in a school to support implementation of the curriculum is made by each individual school themselves. The Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) does not sanction the use and purchase of any particular brand of tablet device. They are available to advise schools on how to integrate technology in teaching and learning including the introduction of Tablets in a school.