A Co Donegal man could spend two weeks in jail due to his daughter’s poor school attendance record.
The girl’s mother also faces a fine of €500 after a court heard their teenage daughter missed 164 of the 167 days of the school year.
The couple appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with failing to ensure she attended school under the Education and Welfare Act.
Judge Paul Kelly had previously adjourned the case to see if there would be any improvement in the girl’s attendance.
He had warned her parents that if their girl missed any school days between the court appearances without a medical cert, he would send her father to jail. The court heard the girl had since missed three days.
Niall McWalters, solicitor for the family, said the pupil had missed school because of an illness linked to an asthmatic condition. However, no doctor’s medical certificates were handed into court.
The solicitor said the girl had missed a lot of school but that the situation had improved dramatically. The girl had recently sat her Junior Cert and intended to complete her Leaving Cert.
‘Intelligent’
Mr McWalters said the girl was considered “bright and intelligent” by her teachers.
Representatives of of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, were in court for the hearing.
Judge Paul Kelly said the girl’s parents had a responsibility to allow and encourage their daughter to get an education.
“They have a responsibility to their child to make sure she attends school and receives a proper education. This does not mean taking her away for weekends or whatever,” he said.
Judge Kelly sentenced the girl’s father to 14 days in prison and fined her mother €500. However, he deferred the sentence until October to see if the girl returned to school and how the case progressed.