So in relation to the Burke Family. They are an ultra Conservative family that held protests and handed out flyers campaigning against the rights of abortion they had quite graphic posters/placards though and it all got very heated verbally towards members of the family that were attending NUIG. Some families members not students entered the campus and also started to campaign and it all kicked off at the time. The family did take a case.
On Monday 10 November 2014, Christian students Isaac Burke, Kezia Burke, Enoch Burke and Ammi Burke 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.
The Burkes, who are siblings, served on the Christian Union and Life Society committees during 2013 and 2014. They publicly expressed their Christian beliefs on abortion, same-sex marriage and other social issues by holding events and by using flyers and posters [
1]. The Burkes were bullied, harassed and intimidated for these beliefs.
Despite lodging over a dozen complaints with university authorities, little or nothing was done to curb a culture of rampant poster ripping and abusive behaviour towards Christian students on campus [
2]. The vast majority of the Burkes’ complaints were simply ignored by NUI Galway.
In late 2014, the university initiated a disciplinary process against the Burkes, accusing them of improperly using €325 from the Christian Union account to pay for flyers. The Burkes were subsequently banned for life from all student societies. The disciplinary process used by the university had never been used before and the siblings were not afforded due process.
The sanction handed down by the university was utterly disproportionate to the alleged misconduct. Evidence suggests that financial impropriety is rife amongst student societies at NUI Galway, in at least one case to the tune of more than €8,000 in unreceipted expenditure, but with no disciplinary action taken
The Burkes claim that NUI Galway discriminated against them on the grounds of their religious beliefs. They also claim that the university severely victimised them for reporting earlier acts of bullying, harassment and intimidation. After almost five years of delays and setbacks [
4], their claims against the university will be heard at Galway Circuit Court from Tuesday 18 June to Thursday 20 June 2019.