Fine Gael TD distances himself from Ryanair boss’ ‘derisory’ remarks about teachers at campaign event

Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has distanced himself from comments made by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary about the suitability of teachers to run for office at a campaign event in support of the Fine Gael TD.
Mr Burke told RTÉ radio on Sunday he “absolutely” disagreed with Mr O’Leary’s remarks about teachers – which drew widespread laughter from attendees at the Fine Gael campaign event on Saturday evening.
Addressing the audience in Mullingar, where the two men live, the Ryanair boss said: “I think in Peter we have a candidate who comes from the private sector which is absolutely vital. The Dáil is full of teachers. There is nothing wrong with teachers. I love teachers – I have four children – but I wouldn’t generally employ a lot of teachers to go out and get things done.
“So I think it’s important that we have people who come from the private sector, like Peter. It’s important that we have more accountants. We may lack personality – but we make up in action and energy what we lack in personality.”
Mr O’Leary said, after giving Fine Gael their number one, “I would also urge everybody to give your number two to Fianna Fáil. It’s important in this election that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil supporters transfer to each other.”
A priority was to “weed out the Greens”, the airline boss said.
“The sooner we get rid of the Greens the better it would be for everyone in this country.”
Asked about the remarks about teachers on Sunday, Mr Burke said “Those comments, absolutely, I don’t agree with.” However, the Fine Gael TD said he acknowledged the “success and vision” of Mr O’Leary as a businessman.
Earlier, Fianna Fáil Minister of State James Browne said Mr O’Leary’s comments about teachers were “offensive”, while Social Democrats education spokesperson Gary Gannon said the “derisory” remarks about public servants “was 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.”
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Mr O’Leary’s comments were “completely inappropriate”, adding for teachers to be “jeered and demeaned” in the way they were was “unacceptable”.