THE PROPOSAL TO spend €9 million on locked phone pouches for secondary schools has been branded “grotesque, inexcusable” and a “pet project” by opposition parties.

‘The Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free initiative’, which was announced in this week’s budget, and states that the rollout will make post-primary schools smartphone free.

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said those in the education sector argue the money could be better spent, and called it “another example” of a government that “can’t be trusted” with taxpayers’ money.

He called on the government to reverse the decision.

Chambers defended the scheme, saying that the money is being spent on a policy about the mental health, wellbeing and dignity of children.

Mental health

The minister said this was just another “attack” tactic by Sinn Féin on an issue before they have even had time to consider its merits.

“I would say to you, Deputy Doherty, you should never play politics when it comes to the mental health of young people, of children in schools across our communities,” the minister said.

“The investment in children’s welfare, in mental health, in dignity at school is never a waste of money.

“If this helps one young person in a school where they’ve had difficulties, for example, with the use of mobile phones in schools, is that not a progressive and practical initiative to help support young people, to help support their learning in schools,” Chamber said. 

He said the decision was not decided upon on a whim, pointing to international research on the use of smartphones in schools, which shows that students perform better when they take a break from their mobile phones.

Chambers said that schools will have the authority to decide what phone storage option they will have, as some already use mobile phone pouches. 

“Are you for real,” asked Doherty, adding:

“Minister, when you sat round the Cabinet table and made this decision, did not one person put up their hand and ask the question that maybe we should spend this money on the 100 children with additional needs that still don’t have a school place at this point in time.”

“Did not one government minister at the table maybe say, we should spend this money increasing capitation funding so that schools can actually cover their lighting, can actually cover their heating bills.

“Did nobody at the cabinet table put up their hands and say, why don’t we just ask the kids to leave their phones in their bags,” added Doherty.

Doherty asked the minister to “please see sense” and reverse the decision.

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‘Pet project’

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns described it as a “pet project”.

She said everyone can agree that there is a need to prioritise mental health and children’s mental health, but added that to prioritise phone pouches “doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to most people”.

Cairns said the money could have been used to invest in special schools, stating that there isn’t a single special school, for example, in my own constituency in Cork South West.

The back and forth between the minister and opposition members comes as Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald said she has written to the Taoiseach this morning to insist on the immediate withdrawal of his budgetary proposal to use €9 million of public money on pouches for mobile phones.  

She described it as a scandalous waste of public money at a time when so many schools are struggling to pay for heating and to keep the lights on.

McDonald said there is “rightly huge anger” at the government decision, at a time when so many schools are struggling to pay for heating and to keep the lights on.  

“The lack of proper funding puts a huge burden on parents and teachers to pay so called voluntary contributions and to constantly fundraise  the resources needed. 

“By contrast the budgetary  allocation  of only €10 million to school capitation shows a wilful disregard for the struggle faced by schools, teachers and parents across the country,” she said.