Leo says there should be regulation, but backs Bruton’s ‘wishy-washy’ policy

LEO VARADKAR has said ‘regulation is necessary’ to prevent children being damaged by smartphones – but he failed to back the clamouring calls for legislative support.

His caution comes in the wake of Tánaiste Simon Coveney’s firm call for restrictions on the use of the devices by children.

Instead the Taoiseach said it should be left to schools to face the challenge.

He said: ‘We very much recognise the genuine concerns that a lot of parents have about the damage that children using their smartphones too much can have on their concentration and on their education, and we do think regulation is necessary.’

However, he added: ‘We don’t want to impose a blanket ban on all schools, we want to change the law to give legal underpinning to any school board that wants to make the decision for themselves to regulate phones.’

Fianna Fáil has already called for smartphones to be banned up to Junior Cert level, but Mr Varadkar said he backed Education Minister Richard Bruton’s plan for schools to ask parents, pupils and teachers what the policy should be. Fianna Fáil’s Thomas Byrne has already dismissed this as ‘wishy-washy’.

On Thursday, Mr Coveney told the Irish Daily Mail he backs calls for restrictions on the use of smartphones by children. He said he had given a great deal of thought to the matter both as a legislator and parent.

Asked if he saw a need for regulations, he said: ‘Yeah I do, but I think we need to be careful how we do it. I have three daughters – a nine-year-old, a seven-year-old and a five-yearold – they all are addicted to my phone, as I think is every child who is under the age of ten.’

He said: ‘I think this does need a bit of thought, because sometimes when you keep things from children you actually create more of an attraction and a draw. So I think it’s about education of children to the dangers of technology, about the exposure to information.’

However, he reiterated his view that education alone was not enough: ‘There is an element of control needed.’