Enoch Burke attends Wilson's Hospital School for fourth day
Enoch Burke was jailed in September for contempt of court orders due to his continued attendance at the school. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie
Enoch Burke attended Wilson's Hospital School in Co. Westmeath for a fourth consecutive day this morning.
It comes as the High Court ruled on Thursday that Mr Burke would be fined €700 for every day he refuses to comply with a court order to stay away from the school.
Mr Burke, who was dismissed from his position at the school last Friday, pending appeal, has until 2pm this afternoon to purge his contempt of court. Despite this, he was dropped to the school by his father at 8.45am this morning.
On Thursday, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore said that, in light of Mr Burke’s ongoing refusal to comply with an order directing him to stay away from the school, a daily fine was "the correct response".
Judge O'Moore said the figure "should persuade Mr Burke to end his utterly pointless attendance at a school that does not want him at its property".
He also said the fine amount could be increased "if it does not have the desired effect". The judge added that the matter will be reviewed on February 10 next.
Mr Burke was suspended from work on full pay last year pending the outcome of a disciplinary process, stemming from a request from the secondary school’s then principal, Niamh McShane.
He had voiced on several occasions his opposition to the principal’s request to address a transgender child by their chosen name and refer to them by the pronouns, “they/them”. Subsequent events led to his suspension from his job at the school.
In September, Mr Burke was jailed for contempt of court orders due to his continued attendance at the school. He was released on December 21 on an open-ended basis, without having purged his contempt.
Mr Burke has rejected his dismissal, asserting that he has a right to work.
