Gearoid Johnson appeals ruling in Teaching Council hate-speech case

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Gearoid Johnson is appealing a preliminary ruling in his High Court action over a Teaching Council disciplinary process concerning social media posts. The proceedings were reported on 11 March 2025.

The posts referred to Islam, homosexuality and transgender issues, and were made between 2015 and 2016. Johnson, a teacher of 26 years, brought judicial review proceedings in July 2022 seeking to quash the referral to the council’s disciplinary committee.

A preliminary ruling said the council’s investigating committee had decided in January 2022 that ten of the 12 posts amounted to conduct that would have constituted an offence under the Prohibitions of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989. The committee also found grounds for concern that his conduct could harm a child or vulnerable adult. Johnson denies any wrongdoing, says he fully explained his posts and has not been charged with any criminal offence.

The High Court granted Johnson permission to amend his grounds but refused his other applications. On 11 March 2025, his counsel told the court they intended to appeal the ruling to the Court of Appeal.