It always gives me great pleasure to visit my native Kerry – particularly on auspicious occasions like this.

Today I am given the honour of officially launching KLASNET - a reality that was born of a simple dream - a dream to overcome the isolation, the loneliness which have been until now one of the great burdens of teaching and learning. Using the technological infrastructure provided by KLASNET, teachers can now breakdown the walls of the classroom, overcome the traditional problems associated with location and distance and bring their students to experience other classes, places, attitudes and minds from all over - not only Kerry but also all over the world.

Imagine being able to read this morning's New York Times even before New Yorkers have got out of their beds. Imagine looking at live pictures from a sun-washed San Diego and at a click of the mouse looking at Kremlin powdered in freezing icicles. Imagine pupils in Tuosist being able to send live pictures of their school sports to their counterparts all over Kerry - at the click of a button. Imagine a teacher in Fybough instantly being able to look for assistance from a 1000 teachers all over Kerry - at the click of a button. Imagine a pupil in Dunchaoin being able to send a video clip of a seagull to a pupil in Listowel Community College doing a project on birds - at the click of a button. Imagine a pupil in Clonkeen being able to report to 20,000 pupils all over Kerry the first sighting of a swallow. Imagine a student being able to show a rare artefact or maybe his or her own work of art to every student in Kerry. Well, imagine no more, welcome to this new age.

Isn't it wonderful to be able to give a voice to a young child in Castledrum NS, who may be the quietest in her class, but the most eloquent and articulate observer of nature that Kerry has ever known - that she can express her unrivalled qualities all over Kerry. Isn't this a wonderful development of democracy - that even the quietest, the shyest little pupil has a voice that is made loud and clear and is echoed throughout he hills and vales of Kerry? Isn't this an expression of a true freedom? Isn't that little girl really free? Free from the shackles of silence and shyness, free to express her uniqueness, free to disperse her thoughts and, perhaps, move others to thought, to action.

All this has become a reality because of a unique project called KLASNET - unique, not necessarily because of its cutting edge, but because of its triangular involvement of all levels in the education system. Teachers from 1st, 2nd and 3rd level have combined their expertise, their talents and dedication to develop and ensure the success of this project. Without their vision and the support of the Institute of Technology, Tralee, under the effective stewardship of its Director, Sean McBride this project would remain a dream. The fact that it is now a reality is wonderful news for this county.

If this adventure succeeds, which I am certain it will, Kerry will be enriched through the development of an IT literate young population who will be in a position to exploit its greatest natural resource – not its beauty, not its football – but its imagination. Some 17,000 young people are being provided with the opportunity to communicate, share ideas, experiences, enrich each others lives. In effect it means the unleashing and intermingling of over 200,000 years of youthful imagination and vivacity. What a wonderful thing to happen any place, any county – particularly Kerry, which has been drained of its youth, its talent and its imagination over the years. This is a county which has been traditionally exporting its young population to urban centres not only in Ireland but also throughout the four corners of the earth. Why not see it retain its young people, allow them apply their imagination at home through the best of educational infrastructure which it now offers – whether it is through the Institute of Technology or though innovative infrastructural projects such as KLASNET.

The challenge facing you, as teachers, is not to indulge in this project for what benefits it may have for you alone but to indulge in it for what the rewards, the opportunities, it has for your pupils. One great benefit is one of the greatest riches of all - knowledge of one's own place and its people. Beyond that it may allow you access new information and knowledge but remember that the real power rests no longer in information and knowledge – these obsolesce nowadays at speed. In this new age, the stimulated mind, the mind that projects beyond the tried and tested, that attempts to break the thought barrier, that creates new laws of human possibility – this is the most important ingredient for self-empowerment for a child. In sum, whereas knowledge was once power it has now been replaced by imagination. As teachers, you have the challenge and the responsibility to unleash this power in every young person both responsibly and effectively. You also have the challenge of retaining the wisdom of the ages, not to be lose sight of what is precious and indispensible.

Encourage your scholars, entice them, sensitise them, allow them access, provide them with new challenges, give them the opportunity to express their uniqueness, to participate, in short to empower themselves. Think not of the cost but of the value. Do not turn your back on what new opportunities initiatives such as KLASNET offers. Do not deprive yourselves or your charges because of nervousness and fear of this technological revolution. Instead be sensible, be brave, reach out and take charge of this revolution so that you, like that little pupil, will be liberated and so be empowered.

It gives me great pleasure to declare the KLASNET project official.