Clarke urges fellow TDs to vote against 'scandalous €9m waste on phone pouches'

Longford-Westmeath TDs must vote to halt government's "scandalous €9m waste on mobile phone pouches", according to Deputy Sorca Clarke.

Deputy Clarke was speaking as Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald yesterday moved a Dáil motion, which will be debated and voted on this week, that calls on the government to reverse the decision to waste public money on mobile phone pouches and instead invest this badly needed funding in mental health services and schools.

Deputy Clarke says that the €9m allocated in Budget 2025 for mobile phone pouches "is a scandalous waste of taxpayers’ money, particularly at a time when schools and our children are crying out for investment in mental health supports and special education, and schools are struggling to keep the lights on and keep buildings warm".

“Mary Lou McDonald wrote to the Taoiseach calling on him to reverse this indefensible spend. Instead, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have doubled down on this decision.

“This latest splurge comes on the back of the most expensive hospital in the world costing upwards of an eye-watering €2.2bn, the €336,000 bike shed, the €1.4m security hut, and forking out €442,000 on modular homes that were supposed to cost €200,000.

“But the government has an opportunity here to hold its hands up and admit it got this wrong.

"That is why Mary Lou McDonald has moved a motion, which will be debated and voted on this week, that calls on the government to wise up and put a stop to this.

“I am calling on TDs in Longford-Westmeath to reject this ludicrous allocation of funds and instead endorse Sinn Féin's call to invest this badly needed funding in mental health services and schools.”