The Department of Education will allow schools to purchase their own mobile phone storage solutions while launching a new procurement process for a central contract in the coming weeks.
The move follows the cancellation of a controversial €7.3 million tender for specially designed pouches intended to lock away teenagers’ phones as part of the government’s smartphone ban initiative in post-primary schools.
Despite receiving 12 tenders for the central provision of secure portable pouches, the Department of Education issued a notice last week cancelling the competition without selecting a winner. The original tender, published in January, sought high-quality pouches designed to fit all mobile phone models while being durable, water-resistant, and tamper-proof.
The smartphone pouch initiative sparked controversy when the government announced a €9 million spend on the program in last year’s budget, though officials maintained the funding would provide value for money.
A department spokesperson confirmed that new guidance will soon be issued to help schools develop policies for student mobile phone use during school hours. Schools will also receive information on how to apply for funding to purchase storage solutions of their choice.
“Schools will be able to use this funding towards the storage solution of their choice,” the spokesperson said. “Some examples already being used in schools include lockable storage solutions and collecting phones at the school office.”
The department emphasised that schools are not obligated to apply for the funding, giving them flexibility in how they approach mobile phone management.
A new central procurement process will be published in the coming weeks, with the arrangement expected to be available to schools by autumn 2025. However, officials stressed that this timeline will not delay schools from accessing funding for their preferred phone storage solutions.
The revised approach allows schools greater autonomy in selecting storage methods that best suit their individual needs and circumstances, while maintaining the government’s commitment to reducing smartphone distractions in educational settings.