The High Court has been asked to overturn a disciplinary finding against a teacher over an incident in which he allegedly called a male student "a little bitch".

Pierce Dillon (58) claims the fee-paying Catholic University School (CUS), in Leeson Street, Dublin, breached fair procedures in how it handled the complaint of inappropriate behaviour brought against him in 2014 by the teenage boy's parents.

The case was previously rejected by the High Court.

The Court of Appeal overturned that decision in August last year. It was sent back to the High Court for a re-hearing, which opened yesterday before Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.

Mr Dillon, a teacher for 34 years, went on sick leave following the alleged disciplinary process and later resigned from the CUS on medical advice. He has had serious difficulty finding another job since, the court heard.

He says the entire event has had a huge affect on his career and caused serious distress.

The case centres on a claim by the student that, after he was late on May 8, 2014, for Mr Dillon's class due to talking to another teacher, Mr Dillon told him he was continually disrupting the class, always moaning and was a "little bitch".

Mr Dillon's counsel, Brian Murray, yesterday said the procedures adopted by the school board were flawed and in breach of the teacher's rights. The board denies the claims.

The case continues.

Irish Independent