Seán Ó Longáin resigns from chair of Disciplinary Appeal Panel in Enoch Burke case

Two of the three members of the Disciplinary Appeal Panel have resigned, including the former CEO of the Donegal VEC.

The High Court was informed that Department of Education nominee Seán Ó Longáin and Jack Cleary, child protection advisor with the Joint Managerial Body for Voluntary Secondary Schools, have stepped down on legal advice. Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland representative, Geraldine O’Brien, remains on the panel.

Ó Longáin has been a central figure in proceedings as the DAP Chairman, navigating the complex disciplinary process amidst Enoch Burke's ongoing legal challenges regarding alleged bias within the panel.

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Ó Longáin, from Ballycastle, Co Mayo, is a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with County Donegal Vocational Education Committee (VEC), now the Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB), from 1976 to 2009. Since retiring, he has remained active in the Donegal ETB community, participating in the launch of its Retired Staff Association in 2022 and lecturing on education law.

Enoch Burke has called the process to appeal against his dismissal from a Co Westmeath school a “shambles” after two members of the panel resigned this week.

Mr Burke had sought a temporary injunction against an appeals body that was reviewing the decision to dismiss him from Wilson’s Hospital School. Mr Burke, who won a case last year where he objected to the make-up of the appeals panel, said on Wednesday that the resignations were “astounding”.