L-R: Enoch Burke, Ammi Burke, Isaac Burke, and Kezia Burke

Galway Circuit Court, 18-20 June 2019

From the 18th to the 20th of June 2019, Galway Circuit Court will hear the linked cases of Isaac Burke, Kezia Burke, Enoch Burke, Ammi Burke -v- NUI Galway. This follows a Court ruling in December 2018 which overturned a key portion of the previous decision at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Back in 2014, the Burkes were banned for life from all student societies at NUI Galway. The unprecedented and shock ruling is believed to have been the first of its kind in the history of the university. It came after the four Christian students had lodged over a dozen complaints with university authorities regarding bullying, harassment and intimidation of Christian students on campus.

The Burkes claim that NUI Galway discriminated against them on the grounds of their religious beliefs, and also that NUI Galway victimised them. In 2017, Adjudication Officer Louise Boyle dismissed most of the Burkes’ claims at the WRC. She asserted that the Burkes had not complied with the statutory time limits and notification requirements for the lodging of claims.

But on the 17th of December 2018, Judge Petria McDonnell at Galway Circuit Court overturned a key portion of the Adjudication Officer’s decision. Referring to “the interests of natural justice for the claimants”, Judge McDonnell exceptionally dispensed with the notification requirement in relation to the lifetime ban and allowed the Burkes to proceed with their claims against the university.

In making her ruling, Judge McDonnell stated that she was “taking into account … the timing, the severity and the duration of the decision reached by [NUI Galway] and its significant impact on the complainant[s]”.

The Burkes’ claims in relation to the lifetime ban will now proceed to a full hearing at Galway Circuit Court this month. The dates allocated for the cases are the 18th, 19th and 20th of June 2019. The proceedings are open to the public.

Further updates will be posted over the coming days on this website and on social media.

Important legal update: Burkes -v- NUI Galway

Written by Isaac Burke

12 Comments

hugh o rourke

This is very important and welcome news. Up to now, legal challenges to the outrageous abuse of institutions e.g. Oireachtas Committee chair decisions, have gone unchallenged. This action is the first glimmer of dawn. If a fund for progressing the action is being established I would like to contribute a modest few euro.

Isaac Burke

Thanks for the support Hugh – much appreciated. We don’t have a fund set up right now but that may change. Updates will be posted on the website.

Mary Doherty

I support you one hundred percent and I hope and pray you win your case for justice and to stop the discrimination of Christians. If there is anything I can do to help please let me and my friends know.

Isaac Burke

Thank you Mary much appreciated. Please spread the word about the cases in any way you can. We are encouraging those that can to attend the proceedings. Keep an eye on the website as we will be posting updates.

Ciaran O'Neill

Great news. well to all. is there a go fund me? I’d love to contribute.

Isaac Burke

Thanks Ciaran. There is no fund set up as yet, but that may change. Any updates will be posted on the website. At the moment we are raising awareness about the case so please spread the word in any way you can. We are also encouraging those that can to attend the proceedings.

Sarina Singh

I live in Canada and became aware of this after Dr. Jordan Peterson sent out a tweet about the discrimination yu are facing on grounds of religion. Trust me, now that Dr. Peterson has sent out a tweet this news will spread like wildfire. As a non – Christian, I am sickened to see how Christians are being targeted the world over for their faith. The new cultural Marxist agenda that wants to dismantle religion and the traditional family are in full display in Canada. I support free speech. Please let me know if I can help in any manner. I suggest a go fund page and people can contribute to help all of you fight this case. Stay strong. More importantly, keep the faith. Sarina

Paul

Fair play to all your you and your siblings. Would be willing to contribute a few Euro to any fund. You have my email.

Neil O'Sullivan

When Faculty/Leasership are so intellectually and morally dysfunctional, what does it say about the quality of (what passes for) ‘education’ in our (so-called) ‘Universities’.
Do we have ANYONE in public life anymore possessing the intellect and patriotism to understand and care about the abyssmally low standards obtaining at the level of the administration/ direction of our educational institutions..?

Comments are closed.