Opposition parties have called the government’s plan to spend €9 million on secured phone pouches for secondary schools “grotesque, inexcusable,” and “pet project,” reports Breaking News.
This week’s budget included an announcement about the Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free campaign, which aims to exclude smartphones from post-primary schools upon launch.
Opposition parties have heavily condemned the €9 million plan. Norma Foley, the minister of education, justified the decision, claiming that it will provide pupils a mental vacation from their phones.
Pearse Doherty, a TD for Sinn Féin, described it as “just another example” of a government that “cannot be trusted” with public funds, reports Breaking News.
The party’s financial spokesman demanded that the Government change its mind and stop allocating €9 million for the project.
“Minister, when you sat round the Cabinet table and made this decision, did not one person put up their hand and ask the question that maybe we should spend this money on the 100 children with additional needs that still don’t have a school place at this point in time,” Mr Doherty told the Dáil on Thursday, reports Breaking News.
“Did not one Government minister at the table maybe say, we should spend this money increasing capitation funding so that schools can actually cover their lighting, can actually cover their heating bills. Did nobody at the cabinet table put up their hands and say, why don’t we just ask the kids to leave their phones in their bags? Spending €9 million on phone cases is grotesque, and it is inexcusable,” reports Breaking News.
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