Extra €2 million needed for phone pouches every year, says Sinn Féin

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

There will be an additional two million euro annual cost for the controversial school phone pouch scheme, Sinn Féin has claimed.

The Irish Government allocated €9 million in the budget for a fund for schools to purchase pouches for mobile phones for pupils aimed at minimising disruption.

On Wednesday, Mary Lou McDonald said it is an example of the Government being a “serial waster of the public’s money”.

Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Ms McDonald said the public is angry at the lack of accountability on spending.

“This shows, again, that your Government can’t be trusted to spend the public’s money wisely.

“You can’t be straight with people about your waste, and you refuse to be accountable for your mess.”

Ms McDonald said documents obtained by her colleague, Pearse Doherty, show the Government was presented with several options for dealing with mobile phone use in schools.

She said these included leaving phones in bags or lockers, or having them handed into a central point – each at zero cost.

“Instead, you have gone with an option that will cost the taxpayer nine million euros initially, and then a further two million euros every single year,” she said.

Ms McDonald said the money for the phone pouches should instead be invested in youth mental health services.

Taoiseach Simon Harris defended the plan, which he said would cost €20 per student.

He said the policy came from engagement with school principals and the mental health concerns of students themselves.

He also said the scheme is not obligatory or mandatory, adding: “Nobody’s going to demand a school take pouches – this is if a school wants to avail of this.”

While not responding to Ms McDonald’s central claim, he added: “It’s about 20 quid per student. A €20 investment in the mental health and wellbeing of a student.”

A similar scheme has been rolled out in Northern Ireland, where Sinn Féin is in government.

Mr Harris asked whether it is Ms McDonald’s policy that the pouches are “good” in Northern Ireland but not appropriate in the Republic.

“The most breathtaking thing about your presentation is that you’re rolling out a similar initiative but, you know what, it’s costing a hell of a lot more.”

He added: “Will you call on the Sinn Féin Minister for Finance in Northern Ireland today to speak to her Executive colleague and stop the rollout of the phone pouches in Northern Ireland?

“Because in Northern Ireland, you’ve already spent a quarter of a million pounds sterling on the provision of phone pouches.”

He said if this is not the case, Ms McDonald “should stop”.