Kildare teen abusing mum and refusing to go school, court hears
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A JUDGE unfavourably compared State law with that of Northern Ireland when he heard that a regular truant was only waiting until his next birthday when he turns 16 to quit school.
“The law has to change,” said Judge Desmond Zaidan.
“People shouldn’t be able to leave education or training until they are at least 18,” he pointed out.
“If you are thinking about dropping out of school, that’s how it happens in Northern Ireland,” he said.
He was speaking in the case that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency was bringing against a mother from Kildare who had not been enforcing her son’s attendance since at least February 2024.
Despite there being two Agency representatives in court, neither revealed the extent of his absences, but that they were seeking an adjournment until later in the year to see if any improvement could be achieved.
“Dropping out of school at 16, he might think he’s streetwise, but he’s not,” said the judge.
“Eighteen is the age of majority, and that’s the way of it,” he said.
“Why is he dropping out of school?” the judge asked.
The mother who was present in court, stood and told the judge that she has a brother in Yorkshire in the British Army who was willing to take him at 16, and begin the process of application for his signing up.
Mr Seamus Taaffe defending the mother told the court that the boy has special needs and is "abusive to his mother. He’s now six foot tall, and an aggressive man”.
“We used to have a family support worker for a few days a week,” the mother shrugged.
“If specialists don’t help him deal with his aggression, he’ll end up in trouble,” said the judge.
The judge closed the case by giving the mother the benefit of the Probation Act.
