Two parents who educate their children at home were fined €2,000 in court yesterday for not registering them with the State.

Monica O’Connor and Eddie O’Neill, Tullow, Co Carlow, have home educated all of their six children.

The Constitution protects parents’ right to educate their children at home, but the State requires parents to register their children with the National Educational Welfare Board first.

However, the two parents refused to do so.

In Carlow District Court, Mr O’Neill argued that it was their constitutional right to educate their children at home and that they shouldn’t have to register them with the board.

Emer Farrell from the educational board said that people who want to educate their children at home must register them first and that a follow-up assessment would be carried out.

Judge Patrick Clyne was told about how the couple had been home schooling their children for the past 24 years. But he said the State “had a right to decide whether the children were getting a minimum education”.

The couple were then convicted and fined €2,000 and were given six months to pay. Ms O’Connor said that they would appeal the ruling.