Simon Harris has called Michael O’Leary’s comments about teachers who become politicians “crass and ill-informed” and said he would have no further involvement in the Fine Gael campaign.
The Ryanair boss has come under criticism for saying he would not hire teachers to “get things done” at a Fine Gael event at the weekend.
Mr O’Leary was endorsing Minister for Enterprise and Fine Gael candidate Peter Burke in the Longford–Westmeath constituency, adding that he would give his second preference to Fianna Fáil candidate Robert Troy.
He has doubled down on the remarks on Monday, telling Newstalk that there are “too many teachers in the Dáil” and they are not “the best people to deliver the kind of change and enterprise we need”.
The businessman also said that Media and Tourism Minister Catherine Martin was “far better off back in the classroom," while endorsing Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
Addressing the comments, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said he was “annoyed” at Mr O’Leary’s remarks.
“I think the comments made were crass, they were ill-informed. I’m pretty annoyed about it,” he said.
He said the Dáil was not like running a company and was “meant to be reflective of society”.
He also pointed out that former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and former finance minister Michael Noonan were both teachers before entering politics.
“Teachers are the people that we can trust with our most precious possessions: our children, I know that in my own house. And there’s not that many people who can stand up in front of a classroom for five seconds and last, let alone for the full day, for the full week, full month, it is a tough job.
“It’s an impactful job, and I have nothing but respect for teachers.”
Asked about laughter at the comments made by Mr O’Leary at a Fine Gael event at the weekend, he said that cheering at the comments was “inappropriate”.
Mr Harris also said he did not know whether Mr O’Leary had donated to the Fine Gael campaign.
“Michael O’Leary was at a local event in the constituency in which he resides. He will have no further involvement, nor does he have any involvement in the campaign,” Mr Harris said.
“His views don’t reflect my position, or the position of my party at all.”
He added: “Michael O’Leary is Michael O’Leary. I’m not sure he’s ever made an intervention that hasn’t generated a significant level of discussion and debate. We live in a democracy. He can say he wants.”
“Quite frankly, he wouldn’t be somebody I’d be inviting to a launch, because his way of engaging and speaking isn’t it to my taste. He can engage in speaking as he wishes, but I prefer to do my politics in a more mannerly fashion.
“I didn’t like some of the interventions that he had made in relation to some of my Cabinet colleagues – even if, by the way, I saw validity in the point and the passenger cap needs to go, by the way, I think it’s extraordinarily problematic. But I never believed in the politics of personalisation.”
Mr O’Leary’s remarks have prompted sharp criticism from teachers’ unions and parties across the political spectrum, while senior Fine Gael figures have distanced themselves from the comments.
Speaking on Newstalk earlier on Monday, Mr O’Leary said he was making a “serious” point about the need for more diversity in the Dáil – and said there was a need for more business owners to become TDs.
“This country is facing enormous challenges over the next decade, where the population is going to rise from five to six million people,” Mr O’Leary said.
“Now we need lots of teachers delivering excellent education in the classroom, but a Dail where there is a striking 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.”
He cited Green Party ministers Catherine Martin and Roderic O’Gorman as two former teachers “who have clearly failed” in their roles.
“I’ll give you the example of Catherine Martin, for example, who’s the Minister for Tourism. She’s been Minister for Tourism for five years, and what has she delivered? A (passenger) cap at Dublin Airport.
“I think Catherine Martin will be far better off back in the classroom doing the valuable work that teachers do and as far away from the reins of government or making decisions, where I think she’s clearly failed.”
He said that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil had done “a great job” in government, while their coalition party colleagues, the Green Party, needed to be “weeded out” and the main opposition party Sinn Féin, should be “ignored”.
“I think people should vote for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, I think Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil should transfer to each other. I think nobody should vote for the Greens.”
Asked about Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who was a former teacher, he said “there is an exception to every rule”.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, also speaking on Newstalk, said that Mr O’Leary dislikes the Green Party because “we deliver, but not what he wants”.
“The real question here, and this is an election issue, is why is Fine Gael aligning themselves with Michael O’Leary in this way?” the former Green Party leader said.
Mr Ryan said it was a sign that the party wants to be “less ambitious on climate” which he said was “a mistake”.
