286. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total amount of funding issued under the grant scheme for ICT infrastructure (and predecessor schemes under the Digital Strategy for Schools) in each of the years 2016 to date; of that total, the amount that was expended by schools on software licences, subscriptions, cloud-based tools, learning platforms and education applications as opposed to hardware, networking and other physical infrastructure; and if she will provide a breakdown of that software-related expenditure by named company or product in each year. [75125/26]

291. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cumulative value of ICT grant funding that has been spent on annual or multi-year software licences, subscriptions and cloud services since the commencement of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015–2020; whether the Department regards this expenditure as constituting a recurring revenue stream for the commercial suppliers concerned; and if she will commission or publish an analysis of the proportion of total ICT grant expenditure that has accrued to private educational technology companies over the lifetime of the current and previous strategies. [75130/26]

293. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether schools are required to report, either to the Department, the Financial Support Services Unit or their Education and Training Board, the identity of suppliers and the amounts paid for software licences and subscriptions purchased with ICT grant funding; if such reporting is not currently required, whether she intends to introduce it; and the results of any sample audits or reviews conducted by the Department or its agents of how ICT grant monies have been spent on commercial educational technology products. [75128/26]

294. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list, in descending order of value, the ten commercial suppliers or product suites that received the largest amounts of ICT grant funding from schools for software licences, subscriptions or cloud services in each of the years 2022 to date; the percentage of total software-related ICT grant expenditure accounted for by the top three suppliers in each of those years; and the steps, if any, the Department has taken to assess market concentration or supplier dependency arising from this expenditure. [75127/26]

The provision and use of digital technologies in schools is a matter for the board of management, having regard to their unique circumstances, educational programmes and the needs of their students. Schools are best placed to determine how technology can support teaching and learning in their settings, including decisions relating to device usage. The department does not currently hold records of the specific expenditure for schools in relation to their ICT.

Department guidance states that schools should support equitable access to ICT for all students and may provide school managed devices on loan to students (via device loan schemes) where required. Schools are also advised to consult with parents and the wider school community when developing technology policies that may involve costs for families. Schools have flexibility to use their ICT grants to meet local priorities, including infrastructure, maintenance, software and device provision, within available resources.

The total amount of funding issued under the grant scheme for ICT infrastructure (and predecessor schemes under the Digital Strategy for Schools) in each of the years 2016 to date as follows:

ICT Grant Funding 2016-2026

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027, the departments strategy on ICT in schools, does not mandate or prescribe the use of any particular devices or technologies in teaching and learning, it is concerned with the deeper embedding of digital technologies in education, to develop digital literacy and competency, critical thinking, and enhance collaborative learning.

Through the digital strategy, schools are directly funded for ICT and have autonomy to determine which infrastructure and devices (including tablets or laptops) are implemented, in line with their Digital Learning Plans. Schools must also have acceptable usage policies in place and may use ICT funding to support new curricula and assessment.

Schools in receipt of ICT Infrastructure Grant funding are required to utilise the funding in accordance with the terms and conditions as set out in the relevant Department circulars and in support of their Digital Learning Plans. Under the ICT infrastructure Grant Scheme, each school is required to have a Digital Learning Plan, based on a whole-school approach, which should be reviewed and updated annually and used to guide expenditure of the grant funding.

All schools are obliged to submit approved annual audited accounts to the Financial Support Services Unit(FSSU). Schools are also required to maintain appropriate financial records and supporting documentation in respect of all grant expenditure. Such records are subject to the normal governance, accounting and audit requirements.

Under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027, my department directly funds schools for the provision of ICT. Some €200 million has been committed through the National Development Plan for school ICT, with around €170 million already allocated to schools. The most recent tranche of the ICT Grant €35 million which issued to schools in January 2026. This funding is provided through annual ICT grants based on a flat-rate per school and a per-student amount, and must be used for ICT infrastructure, including networks, classroom technology, software and shared student devices. To provide certainty for schools, the ICT grant payment timeline has been standardised, with payments now scheduled for the December/January period each year.

This funding issues directly to schools as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in the most appropriate way.