Helen McEntee says mobile phone pouch scheme will be 'transformative'

Olivia Kelleher

Minister for Education Helen McEntee has acknowledged that the €9 million cost of the school phone pouch and storage solutions scheme represents “a lot of money” whilst insisting that restricting phone access for children will be “transformational.”

In an interview with Newstalk Breakfast on Friday, Minister McEntee said that the scheme will have a hugely positive impact on young people.

“This is about as far as possible protecting our young people. And as far as possible making sure that our schools are phone free zones," she said.

"There will always be pockets of money that will be spent on different initiatives, on new initiatives and this is what’s happening here.

“This is specifically to try and support kids in school to make sure that when they’re in schools [that] they’re learning.

“And that's what education is about, that’s what our schools are about.

“I do appreciate this is not a small amount of money but when we break this down and when we see the impact it’s already having in schools that have it, I believe this can be transformational.”

Ms McEntee said that more and more young people have access to phones.

“Children as early as seven or eight years of age getting mobile phones. Having social media accounts, bringing them into school and they really have become quite a distraction," she said.

“They are impacting on their school life. What this is about is it’s about making sure in our primary schools that phones are banned and in our secondary schools, this is about restricting them.

"Acknowledging that children (there) are older. That we might have 17, 18 or even 19 year olds in schools.”

Minister McEntee stated that restricting children’s phone use at school “isn’t going to solve our problem here” adding that what they do at home is also vital to their wellbeing.

“I don’t think this is a catch all. We do absolutely have an issue with children at home. We are not sure what they are accessing.

"But when they are at school the fact they are on their phones is distracting and taking away for what they are supposed to learn. At break time it is impacting on them engaging and interacting in social activities.

"We still need those larger conversations. We need to talk to parents about when children are getting phones, how they are using their phones, how parents are engaging with children as well, and I think this is an opportunity that allows them to do that.”

Meanwhile, Minister McEntee also spoke to Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 on Friday.

She said that it was “always the case” that the funds could be used for other storage solutions as well as phone pouches. Sherefuted suggestions made by the Social Democrats of a Government U turn on the matter.

This was after Tánaiste Simon Harris said the funding would be for all kinds of storage solutions as opposed to just pouches. This includes cubby holes and lockable boxes.

Primary schools are now required to forbid the use of and access to mobile phones by pupils during the school day whilst secondary schools have to restrict usage.

The Department of Education said that the measures are being implemented to enhance student wellbeing, to promote focus in school and to reduce cyber bullying and exposure to inappropriate content.