Enoch Burke claims his ‘liberty has been robbed for two long years’ as he’s released from Mountjoy Prison

The High Court has released Enoch Burke from Mountjoy Prison.

Mr Justice Mark Sanfey ordered the teacher's release following his jailing for contempt of court over his refusal to stay away from Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath where he worked. He had been more than 400 days in prison in all.

The judge said that following a review of the situation, the fact state examinations are now completed and that the school is on holidays, he was directing his release.

The court did not require Mr Burke to purge his contempt or agree to comply with the terms of an order made against him last year, the judge said.

In that decision, Mr Justice Alexander Owens granted Wilson's Hospital a permanent injunction restraining Mr Burke from attending at the school.

Mr Burke was jailed for contempt, for a second time, in September due to his refusal to comply with that order.

Mr Justice Sanfey expressed his hope that the teacher would use the time to reflect on the situation and warned the teacher that the injunction remains in place.

If there was any further breach of the order the judge said he would have no hesitation in entertaining a fresh application by the school to have Mr Burke committed back to prison.

After the court made its order Mr Burke left the Four Courts with members of his family.

Mr Burke had appeared before the High Court on Friday as part of his bid to set aside what he claims is the "gravely flawed" and "unconstitutional" order made by Mr Justice Owens.

The judge heard submissions from both the teacher and the school over whether the court has the jurisdiction to entertain an application by the teacher to have the judgment by Mr Justice Owens set aside.

Following the conclusion of what were sometimes heated interactions between Mr Justice Sanfey and Mr Burke on Friday, the judge also reserved his judgement on that matter and said that he would give his decision in the coming weeks.

Mr Burke has denied he is in contempt of court, and says he has wrongfully been imprisoned because of his objections to transgenderism following a direction by the school to call a then-student by a different pronoun.

Following his release, Mr Burke was asked by reporters about how he found being in prison but only spoke about what had happened in court today and the nature of the application to set aside the judgment which led to his latest imprisonment.

He said teachers are being compelled to deny their beliefs and pledge affirmation and endorsement of something else and that was the issue that was not being dealt with by the court.

He said his liberty "had been robbed from me for two long years.

"Two long years of my life have been taken away and yet he (Mr Justice Sanfey) is not dealing with the issue and that is the issue that must be dealt with".

Asked if he was relieved to be out, he continued to say that the issue had to be dealt with.

He then walked away with members of his family. He was also asked if he would go back to Wilson's Hospital School but continued walking away.

Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan's exclusive take on the day's news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.