Fine Gael criticised over Ryanair boss O'Leary's teacher remarks

The first weekend of the Irish general election brought the first notable controversy of the campaign and it was not even caused by a politician.

The row is around comments made by Ryanair boss, Michael O'Leary.

The airline boss told a gathering of the Fine Gael party, headed by outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris, that he wouldn't employ some teachers to "get things done".

Harris has distanced his party from the remarks saying he "does not agree" with what was 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", Mr O'Leary said during the event on Saturday.

The event was to endorse Fine Gael's Longford-Westmeath candidate and outgoing Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke.

It wasn't long before video footage of the comments hit social media platforms and since then politicians have been queueing up to criticise the Ryanair boss.

In response, Harris has described teachers as "the backbone of Irish society".

He went on to say that he is not sure there are many people who would survive five minutes at the top of a classroom.

However, he added that Mr O'Leary was one of Ireland's most successful businessmen and it was notable that he thought Burke was doing a good job.

Harris also dismissed any suggestion that the row could portray Fine Gael as being out of touch.

The Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald hit out at Mr O'Leary's remarks saying "teachers get the job done every day in the classroom for our children".

"I think it is completely inappropriate that they would be jeered and demeaned in the way that they were at a Fine Gael event," she added.

The outgoing Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he "100%" disagreed with Mr O'Leary's comments.

The Social Democrats also condemned what they called "open mocking" of teachers at the Fine Gael event.

Meanwhile, leader of the Labour Party Ivana Bacik said it was very disappointing to hear anyone taking "snipes or sneers" at teachers..

Teachers' unions including the ASTI, TUI and INTO also condemned Mr O'Leary's remarks.