Enoch Burke has a small number of legal avenues if he wishes to appeal his “stitch up” sacking from Wilson’s Hospital School. 

Yesterday, the High Court heard that the Disciplinary Appeals Panel has dismissed him from his teaching position and that he is no longer an employee of the school. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Irish Independent Legal Affairs Editor Shane Phelan said there were “some fireworks” during proceedings. 

“A disciplinary appeals panel provided a written opinion on the case and essentially they dismissed Enoch Burke's appeal that said he hadn't raised any grounds which would warrant his dismissal to be overturned,” he explained. 

“That opinion was sent to the board of managers of Wilson's Hospital School and the board met and on foot of receiving that opinion, they decided to confirm this dismissal - which originally took place in January 2023.

“So a very, very long process appears to be over now at this stage.”

Enoch Burke arrives at Wilson’s Hospital School in Multyfarnham, County Westmeath. Picture by: Conor O'Mearain/RollingNews.ie.

Despite this, Mr Burke said he would not accept the verdict of the panel. 

There was also a commotion when two of his siblings were escorted out of the court for disrupting proceedings. 

“[Mr Burke] called the process a stitch up yesterday when he appeared in court via video link from Castlereagh Prison,” Mr Phelan said. 

“He still considers himself to be an employee of the school and while he didn't say it yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if he attempts some sort of challenge to the outcome here. 

“There's a couple of avenues that are still potentially open to him.”

Potentially, Mr Burke could take make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission or he could initiate a judicial review the Disciplinary Appeals Panel. 

Neither has any guarantee of success and, in the meantime, he will not be allowed to teach classes at Wilson’s Hospital School.

Main image: Enoch Burke at his former school. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie.