A SEPARATED couple who left their three-year-old twins outside for 20 minutes on a rainy evening while arguing over who should mind them, were each fined €750 at Galway District Court for neglect.
The children’s mother and father, who cannot be named to protect the children’s identity, pleaded guilty to neglecting their children by leaving them outside the mother’s former address in Oranmore, on April 23rd last year.
The estranged couple were arguing over who should mind the children at the time.
Their father left them on the doorstep and drove off to work, his wife refused to take them in leaving them outside in the rain for 20 minutes.
The court heard the mother rang the Garda complaining about her husband and only took the children into her house when gardaí directed her to do so.
The mother pleaded guilty also to neglecting the twins on April 25th when she went shopping with a friend for several hours, leaving them in the care of the friend’s seven-year-old daughter. Food had been left for the children and they were told to watch TV while the women went shopping.
The friend pleaded guilty to neglecting her daughter on that date by leaving her alone and in charge of the twins.
Olivia Traynor, defending, said the HSE was now happy the children were being well cared for.
Fining all three accused €750 each, Judge Mary Fahy said what they did was outrageous, serious and wrong.
She said she was glad to hear the HSE had no ongoing concern for the children’s safety.
The judge said the fact that these people now had recorded convictions meant that even if they moved to another area, social services would be made aware of that and could monitor them.