Mayo senator welcomes new supports to help restrict smartphone use in primary schools

Local Fianna Fáil senator, Lisa Chambers, has welcomed new resources to help support parents who wish to develop voluntary codes regarding smartphone use among primary school children.

Senator Chambers was speaking following confirmation from her party colleague and Minister for Education, Norma Foley, 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 Chambers 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.

“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.'”

Senator Chambers concluded by saying that it is her 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.