Irish teacher at school despite threat of fine
PA MediaAn Irish teacher remains at his former school in spite of a deadline to obey a court order forbidding him from visiting the site or risk being fined.
On Thursday, a High Court judge ruled that Enoch Burke was to be fined €700 (£615) a day if he does not adhere to the order by 14:00 local time on Friday.
Mr Burke was left at Wilson's Hospital School for a fourth day by his father Seán despite his dismissal last week, according to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ.
Daily breaches of the order could lead to the fine amounting to about €5,000 (£4,397) a week.
A hearing to determine whether the fine remains will be held on 10 February.
If it does not have the desired effect of stopping Mr Burke's "utterly pointless attendance" at the school, it could be increased, the judge added.
Mr Burke was jailed in September for breaching the High Court order.
Mr Burke was previously suspended from Wilson's Hospital School on full pay pending the outcome of a disciplinary process against him.
It came after he confronted his then-principal in public at an event in June 2022, in which he objected to addressing a student who is transitioning gender with a new name and using the "they" pronoun.
Mr Burke continued to turn up for his timetabled hours, leading to the school applying to the High Court for an injunction.
That order prevented him from attending or attempting to teach at Wilson's Hospital School.
After it was repeatedly breached, Mr Burke was jailed at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin last September.
He was subsequently released after almost four months.
Mr Burke has said his suspension and imprisonment were unlawful.
