Controversial phone pouches could require additional €2 million investment per year

There will be an investment worth nearly €2 million in phone pouches for secondary school students each year, the Dáil has heard.

Last month, Education Minister Norma Foley announced a €9 million fund to allow schools to buy magnetic pouches for students to put their phones in during the school day. This caused widespread controversy.

The Government defended the measure, stating that it was a mental health initiative and a “one-off cost”.

READ MORE: Education Minister Norma Foley defends 'scandalous' €9m budget allocation for phone pouches

READ MORE: Roderic O'Gorman does not regret saying Donald Trump presidency would be a 'disaster'

In the Dáil on Wednesday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald suggested that her party had obtained information through a Freedom of Information request stating that there would also be “a cost of almost €2 million for these pouches annually”.

“Government knew this, and yet she continued to peddle the spin that this was a once-off investment,” she said.

“To make matters worse, Taoiseach, these documents also showed that government was presented with several common-sense options for dealing with mobile phones in schools. “Option one, phones to be left in students’ bags with students not allowed to use them during the day. Cost to the public purse, zero euros.

“Option two, phones handed in at a central point. Cost to the public purse, zero euros. Option three, placement in student lockers. Cost to the public, zero euros beyond the cost of the locker.

“You turned down three common sense solutions that wouldn't have cost the public a single red cent. Instead, you have gone with an option that will cost the taxpayer €9 million initially and then a further €2 million every single year. You actually couldn't make this up. The incompetence of this is off the charts.

“Dressing this up, Taoiseach, as a mental health measure, is just so insulting to young people in mental health crisis and blocked out of the services, care and support that they desperately need.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris argued that teachers and students had welcomed the investment, which he suggested amounted to €20 per child.

He also questioned if the pouches were “bad here, good in Northern Ireland” as he noted that the power-sharing Executive are considering similar plans in Northern Ireland. Ms McDonald responded that he should “take it up with the DUP”.

A Department of Education spokesman told the Irish Mirror that during budget negotiations, the department “contacted a number of schools already using such storage solutions”.

“The briefing estimated a replacement rate of about 20 per cent each year, meaning an annual costing of €1.7 million,” he said.

“It should be noted that these figures were used to estimate the ongoing funding requirements of the initiative along with some additional contingency funding also being provided for.”

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our PrivacyNotice.