Three out of every five primary schoolchildren aged between eight and 12 years has a mobile phone, with almost every student owning one by the time they reach sixth class, a new survey has found.
The majority of mobile phones owned by pre-teen schoolchildren are prepay, the research also indicates.
More than threequarters of those with mobile phones said they send texts more than they make calls, with half also estimating that they spend less than €5 per week on their phone. But 10 per cent of those in sixth class estimated that they spend between €10 and €15 per week.
The survey also reveals a clear increase in mobile phone ownership among primary school students as they get older.
While one third of third class pupils (aged eight to nine years) said they had a mobile phone, 96 per cent of sixth class students (aged between 11 and 12) said they owned their own mobile phone.
This compares with 51 per cent of fourth class pupils, and 68 per cent of fifth class students.
The survey also reveals that one in five of those in possession of a mobile phone have received bullying or threatening texts or calls, while three quarters feel that these are a problem.
One in 10 said they have had their mobile phone stolen, while more than a quarter said they were aware of their friends being worried by a text or call that they had received.
The survey was conducted by the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) among 671 primary school students in 16 schools last November.
Among the other key findings of the survey are:
40 per cent of those surveyed said they spend between €5 and €10 per week on their mobile phone, while 65 per cent said they are not allowed to bring their mobile to school;
more than a quarter of sixth class students said they buy ring tones for their phone, with 17 per cent buying graphics.
60 per cent of fourth class pupils said they have a camera on their phone, with 72 per cent saying they can use it to access the internet.
John Carr, general secretary of the INTO, said the survey showed that mobile phones are "clearly part of the modern child's lifestyle".
This has many benefits, including allowing parents to keep in contact with their children and giving children a sense of security. But doubts remain about health risks, while phones are also being used to bully children, he warned.
"This survey shows for the first time how ownership and usage grow as children get older," he said. "But with every development there are downsides. Guidelines should be made available to parents to alert them to the dangers. An advertising campaign to warn of the dangers could easily be funded by the mobile phone or network providers. Parents should discuss the matter with children - and keep an eye on the messages they receive."