Kildare Senator says she welcomes new supports to help restrict smartphone use in primary schools

Kildare Senator Fiona O'Loughlin has said that she welcomes supports for parents and teachers in order to help restrict smartphone use in primary schools.

The Fianna Fáil politician, who is also a former teacher, made the comments after Minister for Education (and also her party colleague) Norma Foley said that new guidelines designed to help support parents amid concerns regarding primary school children’s potential exposure to cyberbullying and other online harms, will be issued to all primary schools in the coming weeks.

Senator O'Loughlin said: "There are undoubtedly some positives to smartphones and social media but anyone who spends time on certain social media platforms knows how toxic they can be.

"More and more reports are being published on the damage being done to children and teenagers by certain types of mobile phone use, social media use and internet content.

"Children and teenagers can be exposed to content that is damaging their mental health and often parents can be left feeling powerless."

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She continued: "My colleagues and I in Fianna Fáil  are of the view that Ireland can be, and must be, a world leader in ensuring that children and young people are not targeted and are not harmed by their interactions with the digital world.

"I've been especially impressed by what I've seen in Greystones in Wicklow where parents of primary school children agreed collectively not to buy smartphones for their children whilst in primary school.

"These new guidelines introduced by Minister Norma Foley are designed to see similar initiatives being rolled out across other schools and contain practical advice and suggestions about devising voluntary agreements among parents concerning the use of smartphones for their primary school age children.

"We must make it easier for parents to limit the content their children are exposed to and I was delighted to hear Minister Foley say that as part of a wider package of supports for parents, she will provide funding to Webwise, the Irish internet safety organisation, to deliver new web safety lectures for parents.''

She concluded: "It is my priority and that of Fianna Fáil in government to continue to explore ways to improve supports and ensure that children and young people are not targeted and are not harmed by their interactions with the digital world."