Parents fined €800 after children miss school

A Dublin couple has been fined for failing to ensure their children went to school. One child missed 87 per cent of days in one year.

After a two-day hearing at Dublin District Court, Judge John O’Neill convicted the parents of breaching the Education and Welfare Act, and he fined them €400 each. He said the parents, who claimed their children were sick, had not been able to justify or produce evidence why their children, aged 11 to 15, had missed school.

The eldest child missed 87 per cent of days, 145 out of 167, and another boy was absent on 110 days from secondary school last year. Two of the younger children missed 55 and 52 days at primary school last year.

Two headmasters gave evidence in the trial after a prosecution was brought by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

The father claimed the children had not gone to school because they had asthma and a vomiting bug. The court heard his benefits had been stopped and the house had no heating.

Judge O’Neill said it was a difficult case and the proceedings were brought as “a last resort”. He said the fines must be paid within three months or they will be jailed for a week.