Suspended secondary school teacher Enoch Burke said he came to Wilson's Hospital School in Multyfarnham for a second day to teach but spent the day standing in the corridor.

Classes continued as normal at the Westmeath school and parents were told that one small section of one corridor was inaccessible as the principal supervised the situation.

Mr Burke was jailed in early September after breaching an order granted to the school by the High Court, directing him to stay away from the school.

After spending 108 days in prison, Mr Burke walked free from Mountjoy Prison before Christmas after his release was ordered by the High Court.

Mr Justice Brian O'Moore said then the only threat to Mr Burke's continued freedom would be if he again breached a High Court order.

Speaking as he left the school this evening, Mr Burke described as "preposterous" what is happening in the school.

He said he has a right to his religious beliefs and is "simply waiting reinstatement" in his classroom.

Speaking to reporters this evening, Mr Burke said: "This is the school that I have taught in for four years and I have my first class Arts degree and I have my first class Masters in Education and I have got on very well in this school.

"I have a very good relationship with parents and students and just to say that what happened is preposterous.

"My students have won many prizes in debating and public speaking. They have brought great wealth to this school."

We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences

Mr Burke has been suspended on full pay by the school as part of a disciplinary process.

It followed a row over a request from a student to be addressed by a new name and for "they/them" pronouns to be used.

The court granted the injunctions after Mr Burke continued to attend the school following his suspension.

This evening, he said he had done nothing wrong and said he could not "accept trangenderism".

"It is a Christian belief and I have a right to accept that and the people of this country have a right to accept that," he added.

Mr Burke left the school for a second day shortly before 4pm. His father picked him up outside the school after he spoke briefly to reporters.