Irish Medical Organisation welcomes proposed ban on smartphones for under 16s

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has welcomed the proposed ban on smartphones among young people following calls made by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to ban smartphone usage for under 16s.

This follows recent proposals by Minister for Education Norma Foley to ban smartphones in all primary and secondary schools. 

The IMO said that it is imperative that the Government follow through on these proposals due to the "overwhelmingly destructive" impact smartphones and social media content has on young people.

The IMO Chair of the Consultants' Committee Professor Matthew Sadlier stated that State support is necessary to help parents impose such a ban, saying that parents cannot "shoulder this burden alone."

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The need to curb smartphone usage among young people has been highlighted by the IMO long before such government proposals. The issue was raised in the organisation's AGM in April of this year wherein the motion was passed to urge the Government to investigate the impact on young peoples' mental health in regard to Meta. 

The Government's recent interest in this issue has been greatly welcomed by the IMO as they believe that this is a "public health emergency."