Schools have to consult on use of mobiles

Schools must consult with staff, students, and parents about the use of smartphones and digital devices at school, Education Minister Richard Bruton has directed.

The move comes amid growing efforts to regulate children’s access and use of online technology, and recent debate about the digital age of consent for young people.

The Department of Education has written to all 4,000 primary and second-level schools to require them to introduce a policy covering the use of tablet devices and smartphones in the classroom and during the school day.