Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty has called on the government to “stop the waste” after €9 million was allocated to a phone pouch plan in schools.
Deputy Doherty, who is the Sinn Féin spokesperson on finance, says the government has a chance to see sense and put the money into school facilities.
“Spending €9 million on phone pouches is grotesque,” Deputy Doherty told the Dáil.
“Did not one Government Minister at the table say that the money should be spent on increasing capitation funding so that schools can actually cover their lighting and heating bills?
“Did nobody at the Cabinet table put up their hands and say why do we not just ask the kids to leave their phones in their bags?”
In response, Finance Minister Jack Chambers accused Deputy Doherty of using the issue to “play politics when it comes to the mental health of young people or of children in schools in our communities.”
Replying, Doherty said that mental health has been underfunded for years: “Is the Minister for real? Seriously? Talk to any parent out there who has a child with mental health difficulties and show me one of them who says their priority, instead of getting somebody who will help them, is getting a magnetic phone pouch that is going to cost the State €9 million?”
