The High Court has directed that payments due to Enoch Burke from the Department of Education be channelled towards a €15,000 judgment debt owed to Wilson’s Hospital School.
In a judgment delivered on 28 November 2025, Mr Justice Cregan made a conditional garnishee order requiring the Department to continue paying money due in respect of Mr Burke to a court-appointed receiver, who is then to pass those funds directly to the school until the €15,000 is discharged.
The debt arises from a High Court order made in July 2023 awarding Wilson’s Hospital School €15,000 in damages for trespass. The court said Mr Burke had not paid any part of that judgment.
Mr Burke had been dismissed for gross misconduct but was still receiving payments pending an appeal before a Disciplinary Appeals Panel. Those payments had previously been directed to the Courts Office towards fines imposed for contempt of court.
The Department of Education was given seven days to make submissions on why the conditional garnishee order should not become absolute. If no submissions were received, the judge said it would become absolute.
The school had also asked the court to sequestrate vehicles used by Mr Burke in breaches of court orders. Mr Justice Cregan held that the court had power to do so, but declined to make such an order at that stage because Burke had already been committed to prison. The issue was adjourned with liberty to re-enter.
The judge also set out what Burke must do to purge his contempt and secure release from prison. He said Burke need only undertake not to enter or trespass on school property without the school’s consent. Outstanding fines would remain.
The court expressly stated that Burke was not required to change his religious beliefs, accept transgenderism or stop protesting against it. The judgment said his imprisonment arose from trespass and non-compliance with court orders, not from his beliefs.