Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6325Failure to ensure school attendance · 20 Mar 2024

Parents prosecuted over son's school absence in District Court

Tusla is prosecuting the boy's parents in the District Court for failing to ensure he attends school. The matter was adjourned to next month.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court27 Jan
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
10 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe boy has attended primary school on only nine days in the current school year (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe boy has had an 89.8 per cent rate of absenteeism in the current year (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAbsenteeism rates in the previous two school years were 59 per cent and 36 per cent (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe boy had been to school only once since Christmas and the last time before that was in October (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe boy was aged 11 at the time of the teacher's report (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA teacher reported the boy was presenting as exhausted when he showed up (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe parents are separated and both go out to work during the day (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA neighbour looks in on the boy to make sure everything is okay (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe matter came before Judge Alec Gabbett in the District Court (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Gabbett warned the parents they faced having criminal records if their son does not start attending (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 27 Jan2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Mother whose son attended school nine times this year says expecting him in bed before midnight is ridiculous, court hears

    Reports on the District Court hearing before Judge Alec Gabbett where Tusla prosecuted the parents; the matter was adjourned to the following month.

    victim, 11, maleaccused, femaleaccused, male