A new investment programme for technology use in schools worth £81 million, and the final phase of grants under the existing IT2000 programme, have been announced by the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin.
The investment programme for primary and secondary schools will run between 2000 and 2002 and augment existing technology introduced under the Schools IT2000 programme.
The technology programme will put in place a new high-speed link to the Internet in every classroom in the State and an expansion of the existing teacher-training programme, as well as funding the implementation of technology to develop "the most advanced curriculum support programme in the world", Mr Martin said at a press conference in Dublin yesterday.
The initiative will build on the IT2000 investment programme of £40 million which connected every school to the Internet, with support from Eircom, over the last two years.
Schools were supplied with 60,000 computers.
The Minister also announced the final phase of £9.7 million worth of grants under the IT2000 programme to fund schools' software needs, as well as supporting the work of remedial and resource teachers, and children with special needs.