Enoch Burke seeks High Court injunction to halt Teaching Council fitness to teach inquiry
Enoch Burke, a schoolteacher jailed for contempt of court, is seeking a High Court injunction to halt a Teaching Council fitness to teach inquiry into allegations of professional misconduct arising from his trespassing at Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath. He was formally dismissed for gross misconduct after a 2022 dispute over a transgender pupil's pronouns, and has spent about 700 days in Castlerea Prison for breaching a court trespass order. On 15 June 2026, Burke appeared in person before Judge Brian Cregan claiming the inquiry panel was biased, and the judge permitted service of proceedings and directed the case to return on Tuesday for determination.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court3 Jun
3 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Enoch Burke, a schoolteacher, is seeking a High Court injunction to halt a Teaching Council fitness to teach inquiry into allegations of professional misconduct.
- Burke was formally dismissed for gross misconduct after a Disciplinary Appeal Panel found his challenge to his dismissal was not made out.
- Where
- The dispute centres on Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath.
- When
- A fitness to teach inquiry is scheduled to start on Wednesday, 17 June 2026.
- Other details
- The school suspended and later dismissed Burke over his conduct towards then-principal Niamh McShane at a school religious event in June 2022, where McShane had directed teachers to address a student by a new name and the pronouns they and them.
- Burke, an evangelical Christian, maintained the request went against his religious beliefs.
- Burke has spent about 700 days over separate spells in Castlerea Prison for contempt of court.
- Burke is no longer receiving his Department of Education salary following his formal dismissal.
- Burke complained of an alleged conflict of interest on the part of the DAP chairwoman, solicitor Claire Callinan.
- In court
- Judge Alexander Owens banned Burke from attending the school in a May 2023 judgment, and the court imposed daily fines for his contempt of the trespass order.
- On 3 June 2026, Judge Brian Cregan adjourned the matter for three weeks after Burke refused to give a court undertaking not to trespass.
- On 15 June 2026, Burke appeared in person before Judge Cregan seeking an interim injunction, claiming bias by inquiry panel chair Andy Pike and overstepping by legal assessor Lorna Lynch.
- Judge Cregan permitted Burke to serve proceedings on the inquiry panel members and directed the case to return on Tuesday for determination.
22 statements extracted from the articles
- whatEnoch Burke is a jailed schoolteacher seeking a High Court injunction to halt a Teaching Council inquiry (irishtimes.com)
- whatBurke is incarcerated over contempt of court and has spent more than 700 days in jail over separate spells (irishtimes.com)
- whatBurke was formally dismissed from his role at the Co Westmeath school last month (irishtimes.com)
- whenA fitness to teach inquiry is scheduled to start on Wednesday (irishtimes.com)
- courtBurke appeared via video-link from Castlerea Prison at the High Court hearing (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe court previously imposed daily fines on Burke for contempt of the trespass order (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Cregan adjourned the matter for three weeks (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBurke was formally dismissed for gross misconduct after a Disciplinary Appeal Panel said his challenge to his dismissal failed. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Alexander Owens banned Burke from attending at the school in a May 2023 judgment. (irishtimes.com)
- courtBurke appeared via video-link from Castlerea Prison. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe court previously imposed daily fines on Burke over his contempt of the trespass order. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge adjourned the matter for three weeks. (irishtimes.com)
- courtBurke appeared in person before Judge Brian Cregan on Monday seeking an interim injunction (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge gave permission to Burke to serve his proceedings on the inquiry panel members and directed the case to return on Tuesday (irishtimes.com)
- otherEnoch Burke is no longer receiving his Department of Education salary after being formally dismissed from his post at a Co Westmeath school (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBurke was formally dismissed for gross misconduct after a Disciplinary Appeal Panel found his challenge to his dismissal was not made out (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe school suspended and later dismissed Burke over his conduct towards then-principal Niamh McShane at a school religious event in June 2022 (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke has spent about 700 days over separate spells in jail for contempt of court (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke is no longer receiving his Department of Education salary after being formally dismissed. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke, an evangelical Christian, maintained the request went against his religious beliefs. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke complained of an alleged conflict of interest on the part of the Dap chairwoman, solicitor Claire Callinan. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBurke is an evangelical Christian who maintained the request went against his religious beliefs (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Jun2026Enoch Burke claims Teaching Council inquiry biased as he seeks High Court injunction
Burke appeared in person before Judge Brian Cregan on Monday seeking an interim injunction against the three inquiry panel members, claiming bias by chair Andy Pike and overstepping by legal assessor Lorna Lynch. The judge permitted service of proceedings and directed the case to return on Tuesday for determination.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 3 Jun2026Enoch Burke no longer receiving Department of Education salary after formal dismissal, court told
Burke formally dismissed for gross misconduct after Disciplinary Appeal Panel rejected his challenge; removed from Department of Education payroll; Court of Appeal dismissed his late challenge to the May 2023 suspension judgment; he refused to give a court undertaking not to trespass and his imprisonment for contempt continues; matter adjourned three weeks.
accused, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke - 3 Jun2026Jailed Enoch Burke no longer getting his salary after being formally dismissed
Burke formally dismissed for gross misconduct by a Disciplinary Appeal Panel, removed from Department of Education payroll, remains in prison for contempt of court after refusing to give an undertaking not to trespass; Judge Cregan adjourned the matter for three weeks and directed written evidence on fines incurred.
suspect, Enoch Burke, male, named, irish (judged from name)Enoch Burke