Under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027, approximately €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. 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. Clarity and certainty is being provided for the school system on annual grant payment timeline which is now set at December/January payment period for each year.
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 Use Policies in place and may use ICT funding to support new curricula and assessment.
Department guidance states that schools should support equitable access to ICT for all students and may provide loan schemes for devices 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. However, there is no dedicated funding for one-to-one student devices, and ICT grants must also cover ongoing infrastructure and maintenance, limiting schools’ capacity to provide individual devices at scale.
The introduction of new or revised subject specifications for Leaving Certificate subjects, which commenced in the current school year, does not require each student to have their own computer, laptop or other device.
