Minister Foley launches new smartphone policy for primary schools

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD is bringing a new plan to the Cabinet to encourage parents to avoid buying smartphones for their children in primary schools.

The Department of Education has drawn up new guidelines for parents that will be sent to all primary schools regarding the use of smartphones. 

There are concerns that smartphone use among primary school children increases the risk of cyberbullying and exposure to violence and sexual content and also reduces the number of hours they sleep at night. 

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD said the new guidelines would help to support parents taking action around smartphones for the children in their community.

"I've been especially impressed by what I've seen in Greystones in Wicklow, where parents of primary school children agreed collectively not to buy smartphones for their children whilst in primary school. These new guidelines are designed to see similar initiatives being rolled out across other schools," Minister Foley said.  

She said that the new guidelines contain practical advice and suggestions about devising voluntary agreements among parents concerning the use of smartphones for their primary school-age children.

Minister Foley said she wanted to support more parents and schools in taking this step to take collective action around smartphones in their community.  

"The development of the new guidelines has today been noted in a cabinet memo designed to help support parents amid concerns regarding primary school children's potential exposure to cyberbullying and other online harms", she said. 

As part of a wider package of support for parents, Minister Foley said that she was providing additional funding to Webwise, an internet safety initiative funded by the Department of Education and the EU, to deliver new web safety lectures for parents.

"Webwise will now be offering information sessions and webinars for parents and schools through our Education Centre network, which is based throughout the country," Minister Foley said. 

New research by the Anti-Bullying Centre at Dublin City University is also being funded to inform the impact of smartphone restrictions on bullying behaviour in the Irish context.

Minister Foley said that there were clear benefits to owning a smartphone, but the risks they posed to children had to be managed.  

"Principals tell me that online bullying using smartphones happens outside school hours. They can't control it. It happens outside of school. Children can be exposed to violence and sexual content that no parent would want them to see via their smartphone," she said.  

Minister Foley said that while everyone was guilty at times of being stuck on their smartphones, excessive smartphone use can be particularly damaging for children if they miss out on real-life experiences with their family and their friends.  

Minister Foley said: "It's a gift, the ability to converse, to chat and to talk. But you only get that gift when you engage with other people," she said.