Updated / Wednesday, 17 Jun 2026 17:25
The hearing heard that Enoch Burke's family who want to attend have refused to give their names to security (file pic)
A decision will be delivered on Friday in an application by Enoch Burke to recuse the Chair and the panel put in place to consider allegations of professional misconduct against him.
The allegations against Mr Burke arise from complaints relating to his repeated attendance at Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath, in breach of court orders.
Mr Burke was formally dismissed from his role at the school last month.
At a hearing today, Mr Burke made two applications based on the grounds of what he termed objective bias.
He said he was seeking to recuse the Chair of the panel Mr Andy Pike.
Mr Burke said the Mr Pike had promoted social media posts relating to St Patrick's Day floats that mocked Mr Burke and his family.
He had also reposted a tweet which Mr Burke said favoured LGBT views and the use of the pronoun "they".
Mr Burke said there was "something nefarious going on here" and described the inquiry as a "hypocritical witch hunt".
The teacher also made an application, seeking to recuse the whole panel, based on the same grounds of objective bias.
Enoch Burke repeatedly showed up at Wilson's Hospital School
Counsel for the Teaching Council Eoghan O'Sullivan BL said the inquiry was "plain and simple."
He said it was looking into Mr Burke's conduct; turning up at a school repeatedly when he had been suspended, and breaching court orders.
He said Mr Burke had responsibilities as a teacher and a citizen and while Mr Burke claims to have been denied fair procedures, Mr O'Sullivan said he had been afforded fair procedures "at every turn".
There was a significant security presence at the hearing in Maynooth, Co Kildare.
A number of members of Mr Burke's family remained in the lobby of the Teaching Council's offices.
The hearing heard earlier that members of the Burke family in attendance had refused to give their names to security when they arrived at the hearing this morning.
When the hearing began, Mr Burke argued that his family are members of the public and should not have been required to give their names.
He said when his family arrived today they were met by "well built security men dressed in black" and asked for their names.
He argued that 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 electronic locked doors.
Members of Enoch Burke's family were also present at the Teaching Council offices in Maynooth
Mr Burke described it as a "wrong and intimidating".
Mr O'Sullivan said every person attending the hearing today was required to give their name as a health and safety measure and no one else refused.
He described Mr Burke's assertions as "absolute nonsense" designed to frustrate the process of holding the inquiry.
Mr O'Sullivan later told the hearing that the Teaching Council was willing to accommodate Mr Burke's family by not requiring them to provide their names but instead they would be monitored as a number.
He said the inquiry could proceed so long as the number attending the hearing did not exceed the capacity of the room which is 40.
However, Mr Burke's family remained in the lobby of the Teaching Council's offices.
A decision on today's applications will be delivered on Friday.
Read the full article at RTÉ News →
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