Eamon Ryan responds as Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary stands by controversial ‘teacher’ comments

Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has responded to Mr O'Leary's comments, and said: "That's what Michael O'Leary does, that's his business model."

Mr O'Leary was launching the election campaign of Enterprise Minister Peter Burke in Mullingar, Co Westmeath when he said he wouldn't employ a lot of teachers if he wanted "to get things done".

Mr O'Leary said: "The Dáil is full of ­teachers. Nothing wrong with teachers, I love teachers – but I wouldn't generally employ a lot of teachers to go out and get things done."

He also used the opportunity to make a number of digs at the Green Party.

Mr Burke has been forced to distance himself from Mr O'Leary's comments, which were followed by cheers and laughter from those who attended the event.

Taoiseach Simon Harris insisted teachers were the "backbone of Irish society" and said Mr O'Leary should "stick to running Ryanair".

However, Mr Harris's comments came amid a flurry of criticisms from his political rivals who said the ­footage of O'Leary disparaging teachers showed how Fine Gael viewed the average worker.

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) described the comments as "outrageous and an insult to the dedication and hard work of our teachers".

Speaking to Newstalk's Breakfast on Monday morning, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said he stands over his remarks and said teachers do a "terrific job in the school" but "not such a good job when they're frontline ministers".

"What I actually said is that the Dáil is full of teachers. There's nothing wrong with teachers. I love teachers but I do think there's a serious point here," he said.

"I think this country is facing enormous challenges over the next decade, where the population is going to rise from five to six million people. Now, we need lots of teachers delivering excellent education in the classroom, but a surplus of teachers in the Dáil is not necessarily one that's going to get things done.

"I want to see more people enter the Dáil from private enterprise, from the private sector, and that's the energy we need if we're going to fix the infrastructure challenges we face and if we're going to provide housing and infrastructure for a population of six million people.

"I think teachers do a great job in the classroom but I'm not sure that teachers in the Dáil are necessarily the best people to deliver the kind of change and enterprise we need.

"I think we need different professions and certainly a better mix of professions in the Dáil if we're going to deliver for a population that's rising rapidly over the next decade," he said.

Mr O'Leary added he doesn't think that teachers are "less qualified" but the "example of their performance in a number of government departments has been pretty poor".

"[Catherine Martin] has been Minister for Tourism for five years and what has she delivered? A cap in Dublin Airport. We now can't grow tourism.

"I think Catherine Martin will be far better off back in the classroom, doing the valuable work the teachers do, and as far away from the reins of Government or making decisions where I think she's clearly failed," he added.

When reminded that Fianna Fáil's leader Michaél Martin is a former teacher, he said: "There's exception to every rule". He also criticised the Green Party, adding "we need to keep them out of Irish politics".

"I think nobody should vote for the Greens because they've been like weeds on our economy over the last five years, and they need to be weeded out," he said.

Mr O'Leary added the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan refused to "take any action" on the cap at Dublin Airport, resulting in "dramatically higher air fares".

"The Greens have failed and I think the best thing that Eamon Ryan could do would be to spend even more time out at a talking shop in Baku," he added.

Responding to Mr O'Leary's claims, Mr Ryan told Newstalk Breakfast: "He talks up shock jock against particularly something that maybe threatens his interests. And he's done that for years.

"So, when you're working in a job that I have, yeah, you have to take that. But what does really get me is the political positioning there to really explicitly try and influence this election campaign and try and talk our country out of going green."

Mr Ryan said that Mr O'Leary spent "the last five years attacking him personally in the most derogatory and offensive manner".

"Right throughout time, I said: 'You don't rise to that, because where's that going to get you?'

"Having said that, when he's campaigning for Fine Gael in this way and against the Green Party effectively, which was the main content of his speech [on Saturday], as well as the derogatory comments about teachers - I do have to respond.

"It reminds me [of that] phrase - someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing with what he says about teachers, because we all know the quality and the strength that good teaching brings, and to apply that in rest of society is a real benefit. So, talking down teachers, I fundamentally disagree with," he added.

Mr Ryan thinks Michael O'Leary "dislikes the Green Party because they deliver" but not what the Ryanair boss "wants".

"What he's campaigning here for his vested interests and his business interests and sees the Greens as a threat to them."

He also defended his party colleague, Catherine Martin, whom he described as a "superb minister" who has "delivered".

Taoiseach Simon Harris called the comments "crass" — but failed to call on Mr O'Leary to withdraw them.

He acknowledged that some Fine Gael members at the event had cheered and laughed at the remarks, but declined to assess the damage done, saying it was a long campaign and people would be voting on a variety of issues.

Mr Harris said Mr O'Leary as not a Fine Gael member, rejected the suggestion he was the party's Elon Musk, said Mr O'Leary would be at no more election events, and didn't know whether he was a party donor.

Praising teachers, Mr Harris said: "There's not that many people who can stand up in front of a classroom for five seconds let alone for the full day, for the full week."

"Whether they were cheered by anybody, they were inappropriate. The comments were crass, they were ill-informed, and they don't reflect, in any manner, the views of my party," said Mr Harris.

"But if you want to see an applause at a Fine Gael meeting, bring back into the room two former teachers in Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan, two of the people who brought this country back from the economic brink and sent away the troika."

Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said Michael O'Leary's fantasy cabinet would be "made up solely of rich men" and his "disgraceful" comments on teachers disrespected an entire profession.

"We've seen over the past few weeks billionaires punching down in America and it's really sad to see now billionaires punching down is becoming a part of Irish politics as well," he said.

"I was particularly shocked to see the big cheer it got from the Fine Gael faithful at their election launch event."

Asked about Mr O'Leary's criticism of his Green Party colleague Catherine Martin, who is a former teacher, Mr O'Gorman said she has "done a fantastic job as Arts Minister".

"The Green Party has delivered. Michael O'Leary likes to talk about delivery, we've delivered the lowest carbon emissions in our country in 30 years at the that our economy is growing and companies like Ryanair continue to be profitable."

Mr O'Gorman said the Ryanair CEO has been consistent in "his attacks, his undermining of public services in this country and that's why I think it's so important for the Green Party to remain as part of this Government".

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has said he does not accept Fine Gael politicians distancing themselves from Mr O'Leary's comments.

"Michael O'Leary is a private citizen, he can say what he wants - as frustrating as it is - but when he's standing at a Fine Gael event it becomes something more. He was invited to that event, those words very much embody what I see as Fine Gael's approach to public service and public servants in this country," he said.

"He just said the quiet part out loud. So, I don't accept Fine Gael ministers now separating themselves from the podium they gave Michael O'Leary. Teachers are undermined every day in their classrooms, they are underfunded and to actually see a room full of Fine Gael supporters laughing at that, I just thought it was disgraceful.

"The fact that he doubled down today means nothing to me, the fact that he was invited onto that podium, knowing there was something controversial going to be said, that's the thing that sticks in my graw."

The Ryanair boss said he doesn't think the Dáil "should be full of business people either" but teachers are the "most over-represented group" in the Government.

When asked whether he regretted his comments, he said: "I think what I said was perfectly great, I love teachers".

"I think TDs should be paid twice what they're paid today but there should be only half the number of TDs. And then I think it would encourage more talent, more people, more business people, more engineers, more computer scientists.

"[Teachers] are doing a terrific job in the schools but not such a good job when they're frontline ministers.

"There was a number of teachers at the function on Saturday that came up to me afterwards and they agreed with me. But it's only my opinion.

"I presented what is a serious issue and that there is the need for more diversity in the Dáil, in a jocular way. But I would stand over the remarks.

"I think the more teachers we have in the classrooms of Ireland, the better, and the fewer teachers we have with the Dáil or in politics in ministerial office, the better."

When asked whether he understood why people might find his comments offensive, Mr O'Leary said everybody is "free to disagree with him".

The recently dissolved Dáil included almost 20 members who were former teachers. Previous Dáils had as many as 30 former teachers on the government and opposition benches. Teachers used to be able to hold on to their school post while serving as a TD.

Fine Gael said there were currently seven teachers within the party – ministers Patrick O'Donovan and Hildegarde Naughton, senators Jerry Buttimer and John Cummins, and councillors Noreen Stokes, Una McCarthy and candidate Imelda Daly. The Taoiseach appointed two ­teachers – Mr O'Donovan and Ms Naughton – among Fine Gael's five senior ministerial posts in cabinet.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald seized on the video footage circulating on social media, saying: "Teachers get the job done every day in the classroom for our children, and I think it is completely inappropriate that they were jeered and demeaned in the way that they were at a Fine Gael event.

"To be jeered and demeaned in this way is unacceptable and angers teachers greatly at a time when so many area leaving Ireland and going to pursue their careers elsewhere."

Fellow Sinn Féin TD Louise ­O'Reilly wrote on social media: ­"Jesus wept. This is what Peter Burke and Fine Gael think of teachers. Listen to them all laughing."

Responding to the comments on RTÉ radio yesterday, Mr Burke said: "Those comments, absolutely, I don't agree with", while also praising the "success and ­vision" of Mr O'Leary as a businessman.

The INTO, which represents primary teachers, said in a statement: ­"Teachers are the backbone of our country, shaping futures, inspiring minds, and driving the success of our society. The recent remarks are both outrageous and deeply insulting to the dedication and hard work of Ireland's teachers."

Among the current or former teachers in the Cabinet are Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Education Minister Norma Foley.

Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin Bay South Jim O'Callaghan said: "As the son of a primary school teacher, I can tell him he's absolutely incorrect – teachers are very effective at getting things done.

"We need people from different backgrounds in Dáil Éireann, teachers, all walks of life – it can't be the case that everyone just decides at 19 years of age that 'I'm going to be a politician' and stay in politics for the rest of their lives."

Asked whether this was a reference to the Taoiseach, Mr O'Callaghan said: "I didn't say that."

Siding with big business, while eroding public services and showing disdain for public servants, is a core part of their ethos

However, the remarks angered some in Fine Gael, with one senior figure ­describing the Fianna Fáil TD as Jim "'I spend my life in the Law Library' O'Callaghan".

Fianna Fáil junior minister James Browne said Mr O'Leary's comments were "offensive", while Social ­Democrats education spokesperson Gary Gannon said the "derisory" remarks were "a stark revelation about where Fine Gael's ­loyalties lie".

The Social Democrats TD said: "Siding with big business, while eroding public services and showing disdain for public servants, is a core part of their ethos. Michael O'Leary just said the quiet part out loud."

At the event on Saturday, Mr O'Leary endorsed Mr Burke as a candidate. ​

The airline boss took aim at Sinn Féin and continued a long-running feud with the Green Party.

Mr O'Leary urged the crowd to support Fianna Fáil candidates, but urged them not to vote for the Greens or Sinn Féin.

"What is most important in this election is we weed out the Greens. We've learned after five minutes that the Greens are just weeds," Mr O'Leary said.

"They poison enterprise. They've destroyed transport."

He added: "Please don't vote for Sinn Féin. If you can't run your own party, you haven't much chance of running a government or a country either."

The Irish Independent has also contacted Mr O'Leary over the criticism of the comments.