Judge demands 'significant improvement' on school attendance

A Donegal Judge has demanded to see a “significant improvement” in school attendance in the case of two children absent for almost 80% of the last school year.

The parents of the children have been summoned to face prosecution at Letterkenny District Court for a breach of the Education Welfare Act.

The matter was brought before Judge Éiteáin Cunningham this week having previously been heard in June.

Last month, an educational welfare inspector told the court that both of the children had missed 120 school days this year out of a total 154 days.

In the previous school year, one of the children was absent for 103 days and the other missed school on 93 days.

This week, an educational welfare inspector addressed the court and sought an adjournment noting that there had been a “slight improvement” in matters before the school broke for the summer months.

Judge Cunningham granted an adjournment to the end of October to give time to monitor after the start of the new school term.

“Suffice to say, the Court expects to see a significant improvement from September when the matter comes back before the Court again,” Judge Cunningham said.