'Scandalous waste of money' - Mary Lou McDonald urges Taoiseach to scrap €9m phone pouch allocation
Education Minister Norma Foley announced earlier this week that as part of her Budget 2025 allocation, some €9m would be allocated so that secondary schools could buy pouches for students to store phones.
by Louise Burne · Irish MirrorSinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald has written to Taoiseach Simon Harris to ask him to cut the €9m budget allocation for phone pouches.
Education Minister Norma Foley announced earlier this week that as part of her Budget 2025 allocation, some €9m would be allocated so that secondary schools could buy pouches for students to store phones.
Ms Foley told the Irish Mirror that the pouches cost between €20 and €30 each. The spending has been described as “scandalous”.
READ MORE: Education Minister Norma Foley defends 'scandalous' €9m budget allocation for phone pouches
The Sinn Féin leader has now written to the Taoiseach calling for him to withdraw the money.
“There is rightly huge anger at the government decision to use €9 million on pouches for mobile phones,” she said.
“This is 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.
“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.
“This latest squandering of taxpayers’ money comes on the back of massive overruns in the National Children’s Hospital, the €336,000 bicycle shed, the €1.4million security hut and €442,000 each for modular homes that were meant to cost €200,000.
“Our education system is in desperate need of additional resources and that is where the €9 million should be invested, not in pouches for mobile phones. The onus is now on the Taoiseach to act and to immediately withdraw this proposed waste of taxpayers money.”
The Irish Mirror has contacted the Taoiseach’s office for comment.
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