State moves to get access of Enoch Burke’s bank account or salary due to unpaid fines

The teacher is said to owe at least €190,000 in fines.

Judge David Nolan of the High Court explained that the teacher owes at least €190,000 in fines due to his refusal to obey an order to stay away from his former school in Westmeath.

Mr Burke was again, on the premises of Wilson’s Hospital School on Tuesday, continuing to ignore that same order.

He was suspended from the school in 2022 for his reaction after being asked to call a transitioning student by a new name and pronoun. 

The Mayo native said he could not support a policy of ‘transgenderism’ due to his religious beliefs, and his rights under the Constitution.

Judge Nolan read aloud an emailed letter to the chief registrar of the court, in which Mr Burke labelled the proposal to deduct the fines from his wages a move ‘to strip [him] of [his] livelihood’.

He called the action 'illegal, unprecedented and gravely disturbing.’ 

A barrister representing the Attorney General, as well as Ministers for Finance and Education were invited to address the court about possible ways to gather the money owed. 

Brian Kennedy (Senior Council) explained it would be legally possible for the school to seize Mr Burke’s assets, but that would only have the effect of ‘freezing’ his bank account.

Further steps, such as a garnishee order, which is used in England and Wales, would have to be taken to recover the fines.

Judge Nolan has given Mr Burke and the school board two weeks to respond to the Attorney General’s suggestions, before giving his ruling. 

He added that a fine of €1,400 a day, double the originally ordered sum, was still being considered, if Mr Burke were to continue to disobey the order.

Featured image via Rolling News.