Enoch Burke's mother and sister to be arrested and jailed

The High Court in Dublin has ordered for the mother and sister of teacher Enoch Burke to be arrested and jailed for contempt of court.

Enoch Burke, a teacher from County Mayo, has been in a long-running legal battle for defying court orders to stay away from his former workplace after he refused to use the pronouns preferred by a transgender student.

The judge said Martina and Ammi Burke should be jailed for two weeks each because of their behaviour at a hearing last month.

Mr Justice Brian Cregan said both had repeatedly interrupted proceedings and had to be removed from the court by gardaí (Irish police).

He said the rule of law applied to the Burkes whether they accepted it or not, Irish broadcaster RTÉ is reporting.

He added the situation where 10 gardaí had to be present in court during Burke cases was an abnormal one and could not continue.

Mr Justice Cregan said Ammi Burke had interrupted court proceedings so an application by Wilson's Hospital School could not be properly heard and dealt with.

She was unapologetic about her behaviour, he added.

He said both women believed they were above the law because they were Christian evangelicals.

But he said: "We live in a democracy governed by the rule of law - not a theocracy, governed by the Burke family."

The judge continued that Ammi Burke was a solicitor and said he would send papers to the disciplinary committee of the Law Society to consider if it should open an inquiry into her.

Mr Justice Cregan said he planned to make an order that both women and another family member, Isaac Burke, would have to attend future hearings remotely.

He gave them three weeks to lodge submissions if they want to object.

Martina and Ammi Burke were called twice by the registrar before Isaac Burke told the judge they were at their place of employment.

The judge said they were told last week that these proceedings were happening on Wednesday.