Enoch Burke's fitness-to-teach probe delayed over family having to give full names

Enoch Burke. File picture: PA

The opening of a fitness-to-teach inquiry into allegations of professional misconduct against Enoch Burke has been delayed over objections by the teacher to his family being required to give their full names to security staff to attend the hearing.

Mr Burke is appearing before an inquiry panel of the Teaching Council in relation to allegations about him trespassing on the grounds of his former school, Wilson’s Hospital in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath, in breach of court orders.

Mr Burke was brought to the Teaching Council’s headquarters in Maynooth, Co Kildare from Castlerea Prison on Wednesday morning.

At the outset of the hearing, the teacher interrupted an opening statement by the inquiry panel chairperson, Andy Pike.

Mr Burke said he was raising a preliminary objection to the inquiry going ahead over the fact that members of his family were asked to provide their full names before being granted access to the hearing.

The teacher argued the inquiry was not being held in public as required by legislation if anyone wanting to attend had to give their full names and had to pass through two sets of electronically locked doors.

He said it was “wrong and intimidating” that his family members were met in the building by security staff who were “well-built men, dressed in black.” Mr Burke’s mother, Martina; his sister, Amii and brother, Isaac, were forced to wait in the lobby of the building while the matter was being raised.

Counsel for the Teaching Council, Eoghan O’Sullivan BL, described Mr Burke’s argument as “absolute nonsense” and designed to frustrate the process of holding the inquiry.

Mr O’Sullivan pointed out that everyone entering the building was asked to provide their name as a health and safety measure in the case of fire.

The inquiry panel’s legal assessor, Lorna Lynch SC, advised its three members that they had powers to govern proceedings but were “somewhat limited” over controlling access to a building.

Mr Burke said he was “appalled” that people might be required to give their names to access a public hearing.

After an adjournment, Mr O’Sullivan said the Teaching Council was willing to accommodate Mr Burke’s family by not requiring them to provide their names to access the hearing and they would be monitored “as a number” in order to deal with the impasse.

He said the inquiry could proceed so long as the number attending the hearing did not exceed the capacity of the room of 40.

Mr Burke continued to object to what he claimed was the “inappropriate language” of how his family would be monitored.

However, Mr Pike said the solution suggested by the Teaching Council was “more than reasonable.” He also warned Mr Burke that the hearing would be adjourned if the inquiry panel was constantly interrupted.

The hearing is due to resume after a further adjournment for lunch.