Norma Foley working on mobile phone ban in secondary schools 

The Education Minister said on Wednesday that she would be expanding her focus on phones in schools away from just primary students

Norma Foley: 'I am now in a space where I’m looking to introduce a ban on the mobile phone at post-primary'

Education Minister Norma Foley is working on banning mobile phones in secondary schools, she has revealed.

Ms Foley said on Wednesday she would be expanding her focus on phones in schools away from just primary students.

The Education Minister brought forward the voluntary guidelines for parents last November, which followed Waterford becoming the first county where every primary school asked parents not to give their children smartphones. 

However, speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, she said secondary schools could also see bans.

“We have done a huge body of work around mobile phones… I want to acknowledge the work of parents in terms of primary schools and in our schools in terms of making childhood smartphone-free,” she said.

“I am now in a space where I’m looking to introduce a ban on the mobile phone at post-primary. I think we’re very conscious of the world in which we live, all studies, including, for example, the United Nations study last year telling us that mobile phones interrupt learning in a school environment.” 

Norma Foley: 'I meet principals who tell me the mobile phone, even though students keep it in their bag, the beeping of it is an interruption to study.' Picture: Tommy Clancy

Ms Foley said that even though many schools allow students to have their phones in their bags, this was still a distraction.

“I meet principals who tell me the mobile phone, even though students keep it in their bag, the beeping of it is an interruption to study. It’s a continuous hum almost in the background that’s there,” the minister said.

So basically, I’m very clear that I think we need to establish in our schools a culture of non-acceptance of the mobile phone.

Ms Foley said "it’s not really an issue" in primary school, "in that they’re not used in particular during school hours”. 

She has previously warned it is "far too easy" for children to access phones and has stressed social media companies need to fully enforce rules requiring them to get the parental consent of any user under the age of 16. 

She has said she would consider a blanket ban on sales to children if the voluntary measures do not work.