Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will raise an issue the majority of households with kids who have gone back to school are dealing with at present. Kids are detoxing themselves from technology. They have been off school for the past two weeks, and have been on phones, PlayStations and so on for the past two and a half weeks. A significant debate is required by society and both Houses regarding where we are going with technology when it comes to kids. When is the right time to get a mobile phone for your child? Is it at the confirmation stage or first year in secondary school? We are giving children access to mobile phones at an exceptionally young age, which gives them access to who knows what, and who knows where the predators are? There is a lack of information and understanding and a need for parents to have some kind of help along this journey because technology is now becoming a huge part of every child's life. I have four kids from the ages of six to 12 and iPads and phones are a significant drain on families, as are the games they play and their suitability.

We need to have a debate in the House with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on his views regarding this technology. I met a parent in Kinsale last Sunday who had every iPad and phone in the boot of the car because he was detoxing his children before they went back to school. I knew exactly what he was on about. I could feel the pain. I know it and we live and go through it. This is a bizarre situation. I attended a meeting on digital safety about three weeks ago. The interaction from parents on this issue was amazing. They told stories about anger issues, in particular, with certain kids regarding certain games they played.It is important that we have a debate, particularly as this has got out of control. It is nuts. Society needs to realise that it is not right to give a child a phone at nine years of age and leave them off with it. We need to educate parents.