Twenty five secondary schools in Mayo are to get high speed (100Mbps ) broadband over the next few years as part of a national programme being rolled out in all secondary schools. Welcoming the announcement, Minister for State at the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring detailed the Mayo schools as follows:
Balla Secondary School; St Muredach’s College; St Mary's Secondary School; Our Lady's Secondary School; St Gerald’s College; Naomh Iosaef, Clochar na Trócaire; St Joseph’s Secondary School; Coláiste Cholmáin; Mount St Michael, Convent of Mercy; Jesus & Mary Secondary School; St Joseph's Secondary School; Sancta Maria College; Scoil Muire Agus Padraig; Coláiste Mhuire; Rice College; Sacred Heart School; Moyne College; St Brendan's College; St Tiernan's College; St Patrick's College; Colaiste Chomain; Carrowbeg College; Ballyhaunis Community School; Ballinrobe Community School; McHale College; and Scoil Damhnait.
The programme follows on from the successful pilot project that has been running since 2009. The pilot involved 78 second level schools where the use of broadband has been shown to have improved both teaching and learning.
The national roll-out will be completed over three stages with 200 schools being connected by September 2012, a further 200 being connected next year, and the remaining 250 schools being connected in 2014.
Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Michelle Mulherin, chair of the Fine Gael Committee for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources also welcomed the news.
“With this investment, our school leavers will be educated to the highest standards which will appeal to multinational companies looking for overseas bases.
“I would like to congratulate the schools of Mayo on their success and wish the
pupils and teachers the very best as they reap the benefits of this investment,” said Dep Mulherin.
