Funding available for schools to procure mobile phone storage, department says

A spokesperson said  a 'new procurement process will be published in the coming weeks'

The department of education last week issued a notice that despite receiving 12 tenders, the competition was to be cancelled without a winner. File picture

The department of education says it will re-tender for a central contract to supply mobile phone pouches in the coming weeks, but that schools will be able to purchase their own.

Controversy surrounded the Government announcement of a €9m spend on specially designed pouches to lock away teenagers’ phones in an initiative to ban smartphones in post-primary schools in last year's budget, but the Government had insisted the funding would provide value.