Children in Ireland are receiving their first mobile phone at an average age of nine, with subsequent children in families receiving them at even earlier ages, according to a survey of parents and guardians.
It found that 42 per cent of parents provided their children with a phone earlier than they would like, largely due to safety concerns.
The survey, carried out online for telecommunications firm Eir by polling company Genesis in August, questioned 522 parents and guardians with children aged under 16. It found firstborn children received a mobile phone at around the age of nine, with subsequent children in the family getting one at progressively younger ages. Parents’ preferred age for children to have a mobile phone was between 12 and 13 years.
Parents and guardians aged under 35 were more likely to give mobile phones to their children at a younger age, as were those in Dublin and Leinster when compared to other parts of the country.
Republic of Ireland’s 11 billionaires saw their wealth grow by €13bn in 2024
‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland
‘The phone would ring and it would be Mike Scott from the Waterboys or Bono from U2. Everyone wanted to talk to my father’
The future you: 10 habits to acquire for long-term health and happiness
Safety concerns and generally being able to stay in contact with their child was the primary driving reason that parents and guardians claim they allowed their children to have a mobile phone, the research found. Other reasons for providing a phone included: a requirement for school, gifts, peer pressure, having a spare phone at home, and pressure from a child.
A third of parents reported being unsure of how to access the built-in parental controls to help monitor and manage their children’s online activity.
The research highlighted a discrepancy between parents’ confidence in managing their children’s smartphone use and the reality of children’s online behaviour.
While 71 per cent of parents believed their child could self-manage online activity, and 80 per cent think their child would share negative experiences, findings from a recent online safety report suggest otherwise. According to the CyberSafeKids Left To Their Own Devices report, published in September last, 77 per cent of eight- to 12-year-olds said their parents cannot see what they are doing online, and 55 per cent did not tell a parent when they encountered harmful content.
Alex Cooney, chief executive of CyberSafeKids, an Irish charity dedicated to online safety for children, said parents were aware of the risks of smartphone use but “often lack the support they need to mitigate these effectively”.
Susan Brady, managing director of Eir consumer and small business, said the company understands the “difficult balancing act parents face when it comes to giving their child a smartphone”.
“As parents ourselves we know how important it is to stay connected with our children, and our research reflects that same concern. But we also understand that the challenges of managing mobile devices can feel overwhelming, and parents need support in navigating these risks.”
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
