Undeniably, secondary school pupils perform better both in their studies and socially when their use of mobile phones is restricted during lessons, according to Education Minister Norma Foley. In the 2025 budget, it was declared that €9 million would be allocated to support initiatives aimed at curbing phone use during the school hours. This includes supplying secure pouches to keep the devices tucked away.
During the post-budget review by the Department of Education, Ms Foley stated that this action is driven by the feedback received from both parents and schools. The objective is to enhance the learners’ mental wellness and their overall educational journey.
As of now, most schools have rules that prohibit the use of mobiles during lessons, with majority asking students to lock them away in lockers for the entire day. Nonetheless, the Education Minister argued that there is inconsistency in enforcing this rule. She voiced her hopes that this fund will enable the schools to come up with more efficient solutions to manage this concern. “Currently, learners have access to their lockers, thus the mobiles, anytime in the day,” she remarked.
The Teachers’ Union in Ireland, however, argued that the measures in place are already strict enough. Therefore, they believe that this allocation of funds could have been put to other beneficial uses.
Is it a concern if a pupil has access to their phone in school?
Numerous studies have been done on mobile phone usage in a school setting and most have shown that students fare better when their access is limited. A study from the University of Chicago found that those pupils who had their phones secured away in another room generally outperformed those who had their devices nearby.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has indicated that imposing bans on mobile phone usage is a viable method of reducing distractions. However, they also found that nearly a third of learners still found a way around the rules. Hence, a more systematic enforcement approach is necessary.
So, what kind of measures are being discussed?
Proposed discussions often revolve around the idea of purpose-built pouches. In this scenario, a student receives a pouch to store their phone in every morning. These pouches are typically carried around by students throughout the day, however, they can only be unsealed by a magnetic device usually used for security tag removal in stores. A school employee manages this task at the close of day.
In the United States, these pouches are becoming commonplace in courtrooms, concerts, and an increasing number of educational facilities. Upon implementation at Cork’s North Monastery School, parents were notified that this would facilitate a more concentrated and effective learning atmosphere for all students, enhancing their overall educational journey.
Will every school receive pouch funding? Ms Foley stated that respective schools would independently decide how to address the situation, although she acknowledged the possibility of a broader pouch usage.
Currently, the pouches are priced around €30 per student in the US, however, hopes are for the development of a bulk purchasing system. Although private schools typically won’t avail of the funding, applications from these institutions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.