Unable to boot with usb IR remote pluged

Looks like your IR sensor works as a keyboard and emulates holding the "shift" key. Check the current state of your IR remote if it also has a keyboard function or/and maybe replace the batteries.

If you get such kind of boot screen: RE: Remote Install OS
I see no chance to solve that without switching to another IR dongle/remote control combination. The RPi4 and upwards supports that network install option with a recent bootloader, so it's normal that this behavior can't reproduced with the RPi2.

Do you have already checked how this dongle operates at a desktop computer? Maybe there you can figure out how you can switch the remote in another mode to disable Shift/Caps Lock at boot.

Only if you get another situation (without the red screens) where the dongle is detected as USB mass storage device, maybe you can check and change your boot order to boot from SD card first.