Dismissed teacher Enoch Burke has turned up at the school he once worked at for a fourth day just hours before a court deadline to purge his contempt or face hefty fines.
Mr Burke, who was dismissed last week after a disciplinary hearing, will be fined €700 for every day he refuses to comply with a court order to stay away from Wilson's Hospital secondary school, the High Court ruled yesterday.
The deadline to purge his contempt of court was 2pm today. Arriving at the school against on Friday, Enoch Burke did not indicate if he would attend court today or if he plans to stop his apparent protest over his dismissal.
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The dispute relates to an incident whereby Mr Burke refused to use they/them pronouns for a student at the school due to his religious beliefs.
In his judgement on Thursday, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore said that he was giving Mr Burke until today to decide if he wishes to comply with the order directing him to stay away from the Co Westmeath School.
Mr Burke was jailed for 108 days, before being released without purging his contempt before Christmas, over his refusal to comply with the order.
Following his release, he was warned by Mr Justice O'Moore that his liberty depended on his compliance with the order to stay away from the school.
He has now turned up at the school on a number of occasions this week and was arrested by gardaí. He was dropped at the school again by his father shortly before 9am on Friday.
A video shows Mr Burke wearing black on the school grounds.
Wilson's Hospital this week returned to court seeking orders to either sequestering or removing Mr Burke's assets or fine him over his repeated refusal to comply with the order since the start of the new school term on January 5 last.
Mr Justice O'Moore in his decision said that in light of the ongoing refusal a daily fine was "the correct response".
Mr Burke, he said, had "made it plain that he will continue to disobey the order" made by the High Court last September.
In light of the ongoing contempt, "further measures needed to be taken," the judge added.
The judge said that the daily fine of €700 or €4,900 per week is to be imposed on Mr Burke, commencing from today.
This figure "should persuade Mr Burke to end his utterly pointless attendance at a school that does not want him at its property," the judge said.
If the fine does not have the desired effect, it can always be increased, the judge added.
The judge agreed that returning Mr Burke to prison was "not immediately attractive."
The judge said that the matter will be reviewed on February 10 next.
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