Ballina girl (14) never attended secondary school

Ballina girl (14) has never been to secondary school


A 14-year-old Ballina girl has never been to secondary school a sitting of Ballina District Court heard last week.
Mr Byran Armstrong, solicitor for the National Education and Welfare Board explained that the girl has not been in school for two years and that she should be in second year of secondary school by now. Mr Armstrong called on her parents to give a commitment to send the girl to school.
The girl’s parents have been separated for the last four months, and the girl now lives with her mother. The girl’s mother told the court said her daughter won’t go back to school and said she suffers from depression and anxiety. She admitted that she never went to secondary school and that she missed a lot of primary school as well.
Mr Armstrong said there was no evidence that explained why the child should not attend school and he said he was was anxious for the case to be resolved. Solicitors for the two parents said they were looking for an adjournment and Judge Mary Devins agreed to adjourn the case until December 10 next.