Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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194. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills following the announcement that she is planning on banning mobile phones from all second-level schools, if she has considered the financial costs of this on schools; and if she is planning to financially support schools who wish to purchase pouches and other equipment for the mobile phones once this ban is implemented. [37816/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, I recently issued a letter, instructing schools to implement a ban on the use of mobile phones during the school day, both in primary and post-primary schools.

This policy approach is based on the growing concerns expressed about the impact of the use of mobile phones during the school day, including the potential for distraction during class time, the risk of accessing inappropriate content and cyberbullying, and the potential for decreased social interaction with peers.

It is recognised that many schools already have well-developed and managed policies in place in this area currently and this initiative will build on that foundation. I commend schools for the time and attention given to this in recent years. In some schools, there will be no material change, whereas for other schools this ban provides a supportive framework to enable them to implement specific and consistent policies.

This initiative also builds on the the guidelines “Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free” announced last year, containing practical advice and suggestions to support parents and Parent Associations wishing to develop voluntary codes regarding smartphone use among primary school children and can be accessed online here: .

In implementing the ban on the use of personal mobile phones during the school day, schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents. This should include consideration as to the practicalities of enforcing the ban, including the specific mechanisms to do so, and consideration of cost. It should be noted that there are schools using a variety of approaches currently, not limited to the approach suggested.

My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for cases where a secretary is now paid from my Department’s payroll as per circular 0036/2022.