An increase in the number of 7 to 10 year-old's taking sexual images of themselves has been described as shocking and appalling.
The Education Minister says the media and online regulator, has informed her there's been a sharp rise in primary school children generating compromising photos which are being used by groomers on apps to blackmail them.
Minister Norma Foley says algorithms on social media are also causing sleep deprivation and damaging children's attention spans.
She says parents need to be educated and is urging them to delay buying smartphones for their kids.
"We have been very clear in the Department of Education that there should be a policy, and we're inviting parents to become involved in this.
"We're providing support for parents to be informed in this space, in terms of not purchasing mobile phones for children.
"I think the first step is information, and opening everybody's eyes to the consequences and to the impact that it's having.
"I think we work in the first instance in terms of education, so we have asked parents to come on board.
"We're not saying to deny the purchase of the mobile phone on a long-term basis".
