The Assistive Technology Scheme supplements the overall funding provided to schools for digital technology and equipment. It supports children who require essential specialist equipment to access the school curriculum. Assistive technology is a critical enabler for students with special educational needs, allowing them to benefit fully from a modern, technology-focused education system.
Under the Assistive Technology Scheme, as set out in my department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes.
This equipment is intended for children with complex disabilities who need essential specialist tools that are not already available or cannot be provided through the school's existing IT resources or normal school resources or funds.
The following table represents the number of students supported under this scheme during the years 2020 to 2025:
|
Year
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
Number of payments
|
2,125
|
3,766
|
4,204
|
4,919
|
5,324
|
5,298
|
|
Expenditure
|
€2,013,236
|
€3,603,563
|
€3,735,778
|
€4,246,627
|
€4,633,497
|
€4,903,825
|
In Budgets 2023 and 2026, additiona funding of €2 million and €1 million respectively was secured for the Assistive Technology Scheme, ensuring that supports are available for children who require specialised equipment to access the curriculum.
