1113. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth each nationally available programme during 2026 through which students collect, geolocate, classify or analyse real-world scientific observations using smartphones, geographic information systems or other digital tools; for each programme, the provider, participating schools and students, funding, dataset or research output produced, teacher training provided and geographical availability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54822/26]

The Department does not maintain a central register of nationally available programmes of the type described by the Deputy.

Under the Education Act, boards of management are responsible for the day-to-day management of schools, and decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology are a matter for each school in the context of its digital learning planning. Schools may decide locally whether to use external digital tools, resources, platforms or programmes to support teaching and learning, having regard to curriculum requirements and relevant Department policies.

The Department does not hold centrally collated data on participating schools or students, funding, datasets or research outputs, teacher training or geographical availability in respect of such external programmes.

No programme centrally recorded by the Department has been identified as meeting the specific description set out in the question.