IT cut in schools criticised

Fine Gael has criticised a sharp reduction in capital grants for the development of computer systems in primary schools.

The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, confirmed in the Dáil yesterday that the allocation was reduced this year to €6.2 million from €14.6 million last year and €17.7 million in 2001.

While he said this year's allocation had been indicated in the Budget estimates, Fine Gael's education spokeswoman, Ms Olwyn Enright, said certain schools had been told that the grant this year would be "at a similar level" to 2002.

Schools which borrowed on the strength of such promises would require additional funding to meet their obligations, she said.

Mr Dempsey said the status of information and communications technology in schools was under review. The process had to be completed before further spending could be sanctioned.

Ms Enright said expenditure should be reviewed at an "appropriate time" to ensure that funding was not delayed.

"Schools have no opportunity for proper planning and development, and the cut in the information communication technology grants will make a bad situation much worse," she said.