Ms Foley has previously said she was considering a ban on mobiles in schools to “keep childhood smartphone-free”.
As part of the overall €11.8bn budget allocated to the department, €9m will go towards schools implementing a ban.
The money is to be used for the purchase of pouches to store the phones during the day and to ensure that there is a “uniform” approach to phone use in all schools.
“We want a uniform approach where there will be no access to mobile phones throughout the school day,” Ms Foley said.
“So we have provided €9m for that, for the purchase of things like pouches or whatever types of solutions that might be identified by the school, and schools will verify what those solutions might be.”
Ms Foley said she wants the initiative rolled out by the end of the school year in 2025.
“It is our ambition that we will be in a position to have that scheme rolled out in the 24/25 school year.
“It’s a very positive, proactive step to encourage young people to take a mental break from the mobile phones while they’re at school, to acknowledge that they’re learning, as all of the research tells us that their learning improves when they’re not constantly on the mobile phones.”
She said the average cost of a pouch is approximately €20 to €30, but that they will be bought in bulk.
Opposition TDs have been critical of the funding, with Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon calling it “a scandalous waste of money”.
“With schools around the country struggling to pay their bills or for basic classroom materials due to shortfalls in capitation funding, it beggars belief that the Government should squander millions on phone pouches,” he said.
Michael Collins, the leader of Independent Ireland, told the Dáil the €9m was a waste comparable to that of the Office of Public Works in recent revelations.
Speaking on the Budget in the Dáil, he claimed the OPW was scared of accountability.
“The OPW spent the money on the bike shed. It spent the money on the security hut, and it’s spent all over the place,” he said.
“In Schull garda station a number of years ago, they were told there was a leak when they were putting up the roof initially, and they walked away.
“Two years later, and it has had to spend €200,000 on the roof, which is a waste.”
During a press conference following the budget on Tuesday, Ms Foley said the capitation grant for schools would be increased by 12pc to help with the day-to-day running of schools.
While the minister acknowledged the pressure parents feel to support schools with a voluntary contribution, she would not say that she would call on the schools to stop the practise.
“I acknowledge the great work that schools do to recognise burden on parents but we’re providing more and more funding now and we’re asking them to be cognisant of that, to continue to be cognisant of that going forward,” she said.
