Chaotic scenes as Burkes physically removed from failed appeal hearing

Chaotic scenes erupted at the Court of Appeal on 7 March when members of the Burke family were physically removed from the courtroom during the dismissal of Enoch Burke's application to overturn injunctions directing him to stay away from Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath. As Court President Mr Justice Birmingham prepared to deliver judgment, family members including Burke's sister Ammi and parents Sean and Martina loudly disrupted proceedings, voicing opposition to the court's findings. Following repeated warnings, gardaí removed the family from the courtroom after they refused to comply with directions to leave. One person was arrested. The three-judge court unanimously rejected Burke's appeal, finding the injunctions validly made and lawful. Mr Justice Birmingham stated the school had acted in accordance with the Gender Recognition Act when considering a student's wishes. The court also found the orders were not an attack on Burke's religious rights. Burke, a teacher suspended following incidents at the school, had spent 108 days incarcerated for contempt of court and currently faces a daily fine.