Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
GE2024RyanairLAST UPDATE | 10 Nov 2024
FINE GAEL MINISTER Peter Burke has distanced himself from comments made by Michael O’Leary about teachers after the Social Democrats demanded he clarify his stance.
The Ryanair boss gave a resounding endorsement to the Fine Gael Westmeath candidate at a campaign event last night and encouraged the public to transfer votes between Burke’s party and Fianna Fáil.
O’Leary claimed the country needs politicians who “get shit done” during his address to the crowd in Clarke’s Bar in Mullingar last night and made clear who he did not want to be in government: The Green Party, Sinn Féin and teachers.
He said: “I think in Peter [Burke] we have a candidate who comes from the private sector which is absolutely vital. The Dáil is full of teachers, 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.”
“I think it’s important that we have people who come from the private sector, like Peter. I think we need more accountants – we may lack personality, but we make up for in action and energy what we lack in personality.”
The crowd at the Fine Gael candidate’s launch event can be heard laughing at O’Leary’s comments. Asked on RTÉ Radio One’s This Week programme this afternoon, Burke said he “absolutely” disagreed with O’Leary but commended him for his record in business.
Primary teaching union the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation condemned O’Leary’s remarks today, labelling them “outrageous” and “insulting”.
“Teachers are the backbone of our country, shaping futures, inspiring minds, and driving the success of our society,” the unions’ general secretary John Boyle said.
“The recent comments made by the Ryanair CEO at Minister Burke’s campaign launch were outrageous and an insult to the dedication and hard work of our teachers,” he added.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland similarly branded the controversial comments as extremely offensive and hugely insulting”.
The union said that ahead of the election, political parties and candidates would be “better served” by communicating to the public how they intended to address “critical issues such as, for example, the teacher recruitment and retention crisis that sees students lose out on subject choices as a result of continuing inaction by our policy-makers.”
General Secretary of The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI), Kieran Christie, said that the “ignorant and risible” comments “compounded by a cheap and sycophantic reaction by Fine Gael activists” cannot distract from the “real issues in this election from an ASTI perspective”.
He said that the postponement of the Senior Cycle redevelopment programme to allow for “badly needed adjustments”, the chronic recruitment and retention crisis, and increased investment in education in Ireland were more deserving of attention.
“Rather than insulting the teaching profession – which has a sterling track record of educating the youth of the country – with baseless jibes, efforts to iron out the enormous challenges within the system would be a more productive endeavour,” he said.
The Social Democrats’ education spokesperson Gary Gannon was first to call on Burke to clarify the businessman’s remarks, adding that teachers have often “felt like the butt of a joke” under the outgoing government.
“However, last night’s open mocking was a stark revelation about where Fine Gael’s loyalties lie.
The Dublin Central candidate said that O’Leary’s comments reflect the ‘ethos of Fine Gael’ and Minister Burke should now confirm if he agreed with the statement or not.
“Teachers and other public servants would like to know,” he added.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin, a former teacher, said that O’Leary’s remarks “are insulting and fail to recognise the enormous contribution they have made to Irish society, economy and enterprise.”
He added that the “high quality” of teaching in Ireland has transformed the country. “We owe teachers, who work so well in our schools, a lot.”
Speaking at her party’s campaign launch this afternoon in Dublin, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said: “I think it’s very disappointing to hear anyone in public life taking snipes or sneers at teachers.”
Bacik and the Labour Party called on Fine Gael to distance itself from the remarks and for O’Leary to retract his statement.
Labour councillor in Kilkenny and candidate for Carlow–Kilkenny Seán Ó hArgáin – who recently retired from teaching after 34 years – said:
“This is very serious – we have a crisis in teaching at the minute. We want to encourage young people to join the sector, we want make improvements to younger teachers’ pay and that there is an attractive clear career path for them here.
“Michael O’Leary doesn’t help that situation ever but he’s very sorry to accept their cash when they go abroad.”
Bacik and the Labour Party called on Fine Gael to distance itself from the remarks and for O’Leary to retract his statement.
The Ryanair CEO has been at loggerheads with government this year over the passenger cap on Dublin Airport. O’Leary argues the cap, which limits passenger flows to 32 million people a year, is restricting the tourism and aviation sector in Ireland.
As part of this row, O’Leary has frequently blamed the issue on the Green Party and with how senior Green Party ministers Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin were handling their respective portfolios, transport and tourism.
Ministers have engaged with the businessman about the issue over many months and leaders have openly supported the idea of removing the cap but say the issue must be resolved with the local authority, Fingal County Council.
“The sooner we get rid of the Greens, the better it will be for everybody in this country,” he said.
O’Leary added that the left-wing parties’ ‘tax and spend’ approach is also “not the way forward” and claimed that Sinn Féin would not be able to run a government. He called on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil voters, respectively, to transfer between the two parties.
O’Leary that he would be supporting Peter Burke of Fine Gael and Robert Troy of Fianna Fáil as his first and second preference. Troy has welcomed the endorsement but said he plans to campaign on his constituency work record.
The second day of the election campaign is underway, with canvasses continuing throughout the day today. Tánaiste Micheál Martin is in Tipperary while Taoiseach Simon Harris is on a whistle-stop tour of rural Ireland.
The Labour Party, Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats are holding events in Dublin today, with some of parties announcing plans and policies which will be included in their manifestos.
Includes reporting by Emma Hickey.
He obviously is not spending time in Ireland… Get things done FG???? Seriously????
@Brian Hackett: lol, so phucking true, he must be giving some serious brown envelopes too. Corruption of the highest order!!
@Brian Hackett: There’s no attempt to hide his vested interest either. Some of us realise that the climate crisis requires a change in human behaviour. It’s time to start treating flights as a luxury not something on tap to be availed of anytime you’re bored. In a shared space it’s not unreasonable to expect some constraints on noise pollution either. Just because you’re a business doesn’t mean you get to ride roughshod over all.
His hatred of the Greens will hopefully make the dividing line between the wealthy business class and the people on the ground extremely clear. With the Trump disaster only starting to unfold, it’s hugely important everyone else steps up as much as they can.
Naturally there will be people along to tell us that with the US about to exit all climate action, there’s no point in us even trying. Exactly as planned by the real elites. The people with real money and power. Not some left leaning journos, academics, musical types and so on.
It’s incredible how the simplest playground trick of ‘no you are’ actually worked. Billionaires from rich backgrounds convincing people their fellow citizens are the elites as they address them from their palaces. It would be farcical comedy if it wasn’t so grim.
@SerotoninWars: will you cop yourself on the only policy Kamala Harris had was abortion, abortion and abortion
@SerotoninWars: no thanks
@K O: Way to go avoiding all the facts about Trump, as usual. Kamala is old news now. It’s Trump destruction on the menu and this is where we need to focus our energies. All the autocrats, tech bros and oil industry execs are celebrating. I wonder why that is? The elites can spot their own. More cake for the people who already own all the cake shops.
If the greatest businessman gives you support that can only be a good thing :)
@Paul M Doe: keep dreaming on FF OR FG don’t care about ryanair
@Alan Moloney: and the greens, SF and the rest of the looneys
@Brian Hackett: One hospital……. 4 times over budget and who knows how many years late. That’s getting Sh*t done alright.
@SerotoninWars: I don’t think you understand what exactly is at stake here. There is no time for namby nitpicking, we need to stop this enforced dictatorship now.
@SerotoninWars: what have you against cheaper cost of living for hard pressed workers, but go ahead in your deluded ivory tower deciding you know best for people get over your self Trump won and won BIG
@SerotoninWars: No matter what you say if you try to straddle the tiny rope of actually caring while appealing to their humant you’ll get shot down
@Brian Hackett: I know, highest gdp in Europe, our lowest paid 18% better off than the European norm, our middle earners 7.5% better off than European mean. Highest budget surplus in the EU, full employment, generous welfare….
We’re fu**ed, better elect the IRA.
@SerotoninWars: i have personally found his intervention very helpful.
If you want to know who a progressive and enlightened person should support in the forthcoming election, look to what Mr. O Leary is doing and supporting (then do the exact opposite).
@Diarmuid Hunt: Very true. The bar has been lowered so much. Or maybe adjusted to match the standards of a worrying number of people. Blue in the face saying it, but this on its own, should have been enough to wipe out his political career for good. The usual suspects will call it a conspiracy while conveniently ignoring the fact that it’s a proven and continuous liar against a large number of women with similar stories and so little to gain. Hugely depressing.
@Mickey Maus: Very true!
@John Mulligan: half the population need bailing out to keep food on the table. Yeah we’re rolling in it.
@John Mulligan: Germany has the highest GDP in the EU .
But you just keep making sh*#e up
@john salmon: Well, that’s not true. Why lie.
@den: Why would anyone take what Michael O Leary has to say about anything other than the aviation industry seriously? Yes he’s a very successful businessman but so is Elon Musk. O Leary is prone to talking an inordinate amount of nonsense.
@Brian Hackett: he wants his flights out of Dublin Airport
@Brian Hackett: He is doing sooo much more than teachers.
@SerotoninWars: No communists please.
@K O: Kamala Harris is living proof woke is over.
@Brian Hackett:
Michael O’Leary is the Hero of the working classes allowing them access to air travel and foreign lands which used to be the preserve of the middleclasses perticulery teacher types with their 3 months paid holidays.
@SerotoninWars: so how would you tackle climate change as with out the main polluters reducing emissions climate change will continue at pace
@SerotoninWars:
Blue collar voted for him
@H Woo: every political party would love to be endorsed by the legend o Leary. Teachers are useless lazy people, he was 100% right as always
@SerotoninWars: ordinary people should get to fly as often and as long as they like
The only thing getting done are the people.
@087 bed: The only people better off 5 years ago are Ryanair. Are the PEOPLE better off? Is your housing situation better off in the last five years? Vote against RyanairFG.
@9QRixo8H: in 2023, half of Irish adults travelled by air in/out of Ireland
@Temp Stuff: And probably most with Ryanair. MOL can endorse whoever he wishes, like the rest of us. He has one vote. Social Democrats are getting techy about teachers, teachers are great but his point which has been said a lot is that there are a lot of them in the Dail, he’s not wrong either.
@9QRixo8H: You were wrong about the referenda last year, wrong about the local elections, wrong about the US elections. Going by your track record I would advise anyone to bet against whatever you are supporting.
@Paul O’Mahoney: socdems are just clout chasing, best to just laugh directly in their faces lol
@087 bed: So true, wish we could expand referendums to include other aspects of society apart from the constitution. We’d get so much more done.
@Temp Stuff: better than in the boot of a car for burial in a bog. Whatever we do, we shouldn’t give a vote to the IRA.
@John Mulligan: If you aren’t going to vote for an Irish political party based on a historic origin connection to the IRB/IRA, then you are going to have very limited voting options. Perhaps you should try to read a book on Irish history?
@John Mulligan: up Sinn Fein
@9QRixo8H: I’m better off than 5 years ago, and I’m working class,single father,pay fully for my child,have a house and for the last two years able to afford two foreign holidays a year.
@9QRixo8H: yeah it’s better.
@D. Peado: You’re alive! I was worried about you. In feared you harmed yourself after the US election. Good to see you back. This place would not be the same without the tripe you post!
@D. Peadar:
Savings up, Foreign holidays up. Full employment. More kids being sent to University. Record numbers of people now with free health care medical cards,
Yea things where so much better in the old days
@John Mulligan: Really Johnny?… You seriously need to be educated about the origins of Irish political parties.
@9QRixo8H: Yes. Over 120,000 houses built..
In case you needed another reason not to vote for Fine Gael
@Ciarán Ferrie: FG on course for an epic victory :)
@Ciarán Ferrie: O’leary was only saying what a lot of people think. The dail is disproportionately over represented by teachers. A basic ingredient in any organisation is to have a good blend of talent. The Dail & government needs: – more medical people from all facets of medicine not just nurses; more people from business, large & small; from the voluntary sector. And to prove I’m not a FG person: Simon Harris needs to rein in his knee jerk reaction. Tweets don’t make good government.
@Paul M Doe: what planet do you live on
@Ger Murphy: share your inside knowledge and wisdom . What , exactly, is the breakdown of professions represented in the Dail? What number are teachers ?
The only thing he’s correct about is the Green Party. They’re gone. Ruined our Country.
@Marvin Dollery: I thought the polls have them much the same as the last election
@Mick Duvanny: Oh yes, the polls. Tell me, how did they reflect American sentiment?
@Marvin Dollery: This isn’t America. Eejit.
@Ian: Who said it was? I’m merely highlighting the innacuracy of polls in general. Who’s the eejit now little Ian?
@Ian: an eejit is someone who doesn’t realise that opinion polls are bought and paid for not to reflect public opinion but in hope of influencing public opinion!!!
@Marvin Dollery: polls are regularly wrong in America and rarely wrong in Ireland… It’s like comparing Apple’s and Oranges
@Marvin Dollery: An intelligently led society doesn’t need a green party. If it is FG’s way we would just drill baby drill. Time for them and O’Leary to pack up.
@smatrix mantra: It’s really simple, if FG majorly controlled immigration, reduced house prices and got rid of all green policies they’d landslide it. More conservatism is needed in these turbulent times.
@Marvin Dollery: Look American spasmo, the polls aren’t the same here as the US. Eejit.
@North Phone Bowe: LOL
@Ian: “Look, the thing isn’t the thing you’re saying it is”. Pathetic and tragic.
@Marvin Dollery: I’d at you are the eejit. The polls in USA are hardly ever right whereas the polls here at home are generally right give or take a very small percentage. Plus the population of America being so big it’s impossible to predict by polls.
@Marvin Dollery: explain using empirical evidence
@Mick Duvanny:
The greens got 7.1% last time and benefited from the SF surplus (as did many other left wing candidates).
They are on around 4.2% now which should give them around 7 but without the added surplus I’d say about 5.
@anthony davoren: already forgotten the women in the home vote, have you?
@Marvin Dollery: What people fail to understand about the Greens is that it doesn’t matter how much these noisy commentators despise The Green Party – these people never voted Green, anyway. Meanwhile the supporters of the Greens sit quietly in the background and will still vote Green.
I guess we’ll know for sure after the GE but I in no way see the so called wipe out of the green party that some predict. I suspect the will come out slightly worse off than they are now after the GE.
It doesn’t matter a toss how much people hate them, the only thing that matters is how many people vote for them.
Also, lots of people will be terribly disappointed to find that future governments will continue with carbon taxes with or without the Greens!
@Marvin Dollery: yes they ruined the country by actually doing what they said they would do! Possibly have destroyed Ireland more than any other party
@Marvin Dollery: By saying it was too close to call. The % win for Trump in the swing states was within the margin of error, so what do you want the pollsters to do? They said it was too close to call, the winning margins support that.
@Marvin Dollery: do tell us how the Greens ‘destroyed the country’ exactly?
@Marvin Dollery: true but remember ff fg went along and endorsed what they did
He’s right about Sinn Fein. I’d throw in PBP, and the headbanger paytriot gimps too. The Soc Dems are secondary school level debaters who read off pages. All wafflers, ideologues, and transmitting live from outer space.
@honey badger: It will be a landslide like in the United States, SF keep changing what they stand for and that’s confusing voters. We need a trump like figure and I sincerely believe possibly not this election but the next one (whenever that is) a figure from the Irish freedom party will emerge.
@Alan: Upstairs foe dreaming, Alan. Irish freedom party… ffs.
@honey badger: SF tactics will be interesting to see. I wonder how much they will just abandon policies and make it up as they go along in order to pick up votes. Listening to O’Brion at the moment. If he’s the best they can come up with they are in trouble. Spoofer with a Blackrock College accent.
@honey badger: it was embarrassing watching wokey Holly cairns at question time reading her questions from a sheet of paper, a joke of a party that is basically the liebour party
@K O: what does woke mean?
@Alan: youre really not good at predicting the future. We’ve had the same corporate sellouts for over 100 years. Whereas in the UK though there’s SOME CHANCE Of someone more direct & a leader such as Farage gaining momentum you’ve got absolutely no hope that malachy Steenson or other will lead this country.
The members of cult Shinner won’t like this endorsement for cult FG.
@Sun Rise: No, they won’t, but I’d say SF and all the other parties wouldn’t say no to such an endorsement.
Why are so many people up in arms beyond me ? He has every right to endorse whoever he wants to.
Where has he been for the last 15.years..? On Mars???
@Brian Hackett: the last 100 odd years
@Mick O’K: So if it works wreck it. Vote SF. “As people always expect more than is possible, with ideological fake news agitation any country with a mass media can be brought to self destruction.” Changing what 95% works for unworkable fantasy Soundbite Socialism may happen with the Irish support for vocal populist policies.
@thomas molloy: back to bed skearon
Has he not spent the last few years slating the current government??? Is he aware fine gael are in government?
FFG his kind of people building his kind of Ireland
@Spartacus Ireland: long may it continue
@Spartacus Ireland: no such party as FFG. Where have you been for the last fifty years?
An excellent example of a multi millionaire supporting millionaires in the Dáil. These people really are on another planet with regards to how people are struggling to pay bills, get a home.
@Dave Barrett: And Mary Lou and her little republican gang went to Australia first class to an invited white tie dinner on invite only. Wasn’t the courses worth 5 grand a head??? . Don’t put SF and the working class together, it’s a scam. Same with Labour in the uk, promised to be the voice for the working class yet look out that turned out. Once elected they said difficult times are coming.
@Dave Barrett: In the South, average wages are €44,850 p.a. in the North, it’s £32,900. Sinn Fein isn’t doing much for the average person in the six counties.
@Alan: This was videoed and shared. There is no way you would get away taking a video out of the shinners meeting. Everyone is vetted before you even attend no one can rock the army council’s view
@Dave Barrett: So true Dave
@Dave Barrett: Talk to the real millionaires, the ones sucking every penny from the state.
Two parish pump boys from Kerry.
@Alan: @Alan: Quite disgusting how you write “United States” in your post above yet write “uk” here. Why do you do that? If you write “United States”, you write “United Kingdom” or write “US” and “UK”. You even used lowercase which is just so typical unfortunately of a section of Irish people who are so anti British or anti English in particular, and need to be called out on. So can you please answer a simple question.
Exactly, Michael
This guy needs to wake up.
@Shane O Mac: yep, needs to get a job alright
Genuine question,what is fine Gaels policy on immigration?
@r k: They’re the party in government at a time of record immigration so you surely know.
They’ll need high levels of immigration to maintain the workforce for the foreseeable future with so many Irish graduates leaving to work abroad in countries where they can actually buy a house at some point.
@Rochelle Hart: or where they can experience a different kind of life and sunshine before settling down. People don’t stay in Dublin their entire lives. If you can move and work in another country out of college , why wouldn’t you ?
@Rochelle Hart: and what countries are they exactly? Certainly not London, Melbourne, Toronto or any major city in US. Property prices have risen everywhere worldwide in the big urban areas, as has the cost of living
@rk: FG have been in power for the past 13 years, you see their immigration policies. You see their housing policies.
@Ciaran: what on earth is there to attract them back?! Terrible healthcare, division, street violence, UNaffordable rent, pi$$ing rain>. also why try to argue with Rochelle just because you refuse to accept people are unable to buy a home I’m 36 and fully aware that over 53% when I last checked, of people ages 18-39 are living at home
It’s of no help to Fine Gael being endorsed by O.Leary.
Anyone who votes for the greens needs to be committed.
@Dan Murphy: Committed to a brighter future? Committed to doing as much as they can to help out during a time of crisis? Committed to remembering we share this planet with other humans and a vast array of animal life too? Committed to thinking about the people and animals who will come after us and not selfishly wrecking the place even more? Dan, I agree!
@SerotoninWars: isn’t that the problem, the people who deny climate change have no one to come after them!
@SerotoninWars: All of those points are opportunities for better. Alas we need to build for this and the Greens have shown out their ‘stall’ of tactics, build nothing because its bad for the environment, if we don’t have the infrastructure we need it’s punitive to think all your points can be solved with taxes and posturing.
@Thesaltyurchin: Granted contemporary dialogue is now an all ‘inclusive’ arena where every ‘person’ is a Gladiator for self, They have become a ‘whipping boy’ as a result. It will just take a while for capitalism to grasp the opportunity, China already have, America will follow suit, strange almost that someone as woke as Elon gets to be at the top table.
@Dan Murphy: And I suppose you’d be the first to lock up your opponents? Big Trump fans undoubtedly
@Thesaltyurchin: They never have enough backing or power to enact their full policy proposals. They are up for building and infrastructure, just with a different approach. One of them is trying to stop society becoming completely atomised and making our cities pleasant vibrant places to live and visit again. I agree there’s many question marks still. Let’s see what they say over the next few weeks. Their hearts are in the right place. Let’s see if they can put forward a compelling argument that they can turn it into workable policy.
@Thesaltyurchin: The Musk situation is slightly odd with his commie socialist green conspiracy electric cars! Buying X turned out to be a bargain though. That’s the kind of asset that produces passes to Trump’s inner sanctum. ‘Algorithm overlord you say? Why do come in!’
@Clare Power: Get rich and ostrich! Unfortunately they’ll end up with far more sand in their ears than dollars in their pocket…
@SerotoninWars: A clever play, electric pioneer with a trans kid, all in behind Nurolink, more effective public transport. If anything it highlights the ridiculousness of the ‘left V right’ argument, but many could care less. This ‘perception’ will change as more rich people warm to it, the rabble will follow.
@Thesaltyurchin: I agree the left v right and culture wars stuff is just tedious and often useless as a barometer of anything other than providing proof of what echo chamber you’re stuck in. Really it should be about wise, fact based, humane choices. Take our best available knowledge and use it for the betterment of as many as possible, both now and in the future. I know I’m dreaming here, but maybe keeping the worst and least deserving of us out of power too.
@Dan Murphy: I don’t really get all the hate thrown on the Greens, they’re the only party in years to have the guts to bring in unpopular but needed policies. Fair enough Eamon Ryan was a disaster as regards managing his image as an effective politician, but at least they didn’t get consumed with people pleasing like FFG, and actually brought in important policies.
@Evan: Hmmm, green number plates? Needed?
They didn’t get the children’s hospital done.
@Paul Power: Give them credit they got the bike shed and the security hut done, but not the children’s hospital or the operations for children with schoelisos, but they were busy importing freeloaders and looking after vulture funds I suppose
@Paul Power: This is precisely what O’Leary is on about and he’s right.
The fish rots from the head down.
The children’s hospital is the classic example and would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.
I am looking forward to voting for FG
@Penguin O’Toole: im not fg/ff getting tv stars, horse riders, footballers to join them and run for elections none have as far as i know have political experience, celebritary status. Come on God help Ireland and all who live there.
Incoming Sharia Fein sympathisers
@Cole Palmer: Clown.
@Cole Palmer: the SF scrotes on here are very angry and their cult is imploding lol
A huge reason not to vote FG.
This will enrage all the right people lol
Yeah FG looove the type of economy where the rich get richer and ordinary working people can’t find a place to live or vital health care. No wonder O’Leary likes them
Never knew he was a Blueshirt!
FG/FF had enough years
@FG’s Rental Trap:
Unfortunately the dregs on the opposition benches are just one step above students union
Standard.
That’s disappointing to hear from Michael who is usually on the money but to say “FG/FF Get S..t Done” is so far off the mark.
He obviously has done a deal to get rid of the Passenger Cap at Dublin Airport.
@Alan Dunne: the ridiculous passenger cap has to go
@Alan Dunne: And rightly so, the passenger cap was a dreg. and the cap is in violation of the open skies agreement a EU treaty
Ok when your buddies in power look after their rich friends. Homelessness, illegal immigration and cost of living issues don’t bother this ignorant clown. Shame on O’leary for supporting the cabal who are destroying this country. I forgot..he has no shame
@Gerry Lamont: Lol destroying the country… lmao
@Gerry Lamont: why bother about issues which are so far removed for their ivory towers that they don’t care if they exist at all. It’s those who have family and friends attempting to exist with the issues you raise, yet continue to vote anyone who has or will vote with FFGL in next Dail.
@North Phone Bowe: vote anyone but SF
@Gerry Lamont: And didn’t Mary Lou all for illegal immigration and she was recently asked if those who commit crimes and are non Nationals should be deported? She said if they commit crimes they should be deported?? Didn’t she agree with that statement?? Rich friends you say? I’d rather rich friends than a press officer who is a convicted child sex offender. Plenty more in that party esp with Brian Stanley who’s being hounded by the dogs within leadership. This is will be a landslide like in the USA. Mary up the RA Lou keeps twisting and turning she doesn’t know what she stands for. Thank god we live in a democracy where opposition is allowed rather than tolerated
@Paul M Doe: first, last and only response to your posts. Anything else would only leave 2 eejits talking.
It didn’t take long for the FG mask to slip. They’re laughing at the plight of ordinary workers, quite literally.
@Rochelle Hart: how will you be celebrating FGs victory?
He has a point about teachers, tho. How many politicians are teachers, and able to draw teachers pension along with all their other pensions. A retired person should o my be entitled to one pension and only after having held that job until retiring age.
@Patrick MC Dermott:
A retiring Irish civil servant, including politicians, are only entitled to one pension, the highest one they qualified for, regardless of how many different jobs they did.
That law was brought in 2011 by the then FG lab government.
@Patrick MC Dermott: Any retired civil servant only gets one pension, which is based on their total earnings throughout their working life.
Simon Harris says next step to deal with immigration is to means test applicants . Nonsense . How about tearing up Ireland’s “International Obligations” documents ? How about not allowing asylum seekers or refugees enter Ireland ? How about deporting ALL refugees and ALL asylum seekers already in Ireland ? Or yes , how about curbing the activities of Human Rights lawyers who work on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers ? Nothing less makes sense .
@Jim Ryan: please don’t. My mother is in hospital and needs the nurses, doctors, and other foreign workers that are caring for her
@Jim Ryan: So, a mother who flees Sudan with her daughters because she doesn’t want them to undergo barbaric FGM (as happened her) should be sent back to where the children have to face a rusty razor blade and no anaesthetic?
@Jim Ryan: first and foremost a look at Irish people who are unemployed over 12 months and get them back working, looking at what is stopping them and not just being lazy.
There needs to be a discussion between legal immigration such as work visas, and those seeking aslyum. Many of those seeking international protection are doing so in order to work in Ireland and get free accommodation, it is laughable that there is people living rent and bill free in IPAS accommodation and working full time, many of whom have status to remain in Ireland. Those arriving in the country without identification be it men women or children should be detained in a secure environment until their identity is proven.
@Sean Hayes: the nurses and doctors are on work visas. That not who he was speaking about.
Ireland will be a sewer in 20 years.
@Paul Kavanagh: like Venezuela once a rich, capitalist country with a lot of wealth, it became a communist dump under the disguise of socialism, now it’s among the poorest countries in the world. The US should under the direction of the president of the United States Donald Trump invade and topple its dictatorship government. SF have a good working relationship with nicolas maduro, a man who executes his political opponents and protestors
@Alan: What is your infatuation with writing “United States” yet you write “uk”? Disgusting.
I don’t mean any insult but teachers are not suited to be politicians. Their vocation is to teach not to deal with national headaches.
I wonder if he said this about any other profession would people be up in arms? The fact is that many teachers have never been in the real world of work, they go to school, college and straight back into school in to a permanent pensionable job at 21 years old, usually staying at the same school til retirement.
It is not belittling the job of a teacher, it is an important job and not an easy one either, I hold my hands up as a mother I could not do it. But I have been in different jobs since I was 21, had to prove performance, been promoted on merit , been made redundant, had to re-train, had a b**locking when I failed etc.
O’Leary fancies himself as the Elon Musk of Irish politics!!! Do you seriously think he has the best interests of those struggling to make ends meet at heart? The rich want to get richer – they have a fear of and a hatred for the poorer person.
@Ciaran Leonard: We wouldn’t be super rich , but we aren’t badly off and able to meet all our bills, and we don’t fear nor hate the poor and we came from very basic backgrounds.
MOL, has little interest in flying across the Atlantic let alone to Space and O Leary pays his taxes unlike Musk who borrows money with Tesla Stock as collateral, you don’t pay tax in the US on loans
These type of posts are so bereft of actual facts I honestly think we are in the middle of a crisis of intelligence and lack there of.
@Ciaran Leonard: Some of the rich are super addicted to money no question, a play thing used for bragging rights down the members club, don’t think they hate the poor tho, or anyone really, but everyone hates the rich. Would say the middle class hate the poor more, the tax margins are much finer, more noticeable.
As a teacher – he’s right! Norma Foley is literally the worst example… How can you ask him to justify the comments when that is the bar that is set? Lot of teachers would be great and get stuff done but the likes of her have no backbone!
@Jason Keelan: teachers are ego maniacs for the most part, usually the people who had no friends at school lol
@Paul M Doe: by that logic, you are 100% a teacher?
FG ,Cheap just like his airline
The same malcontents who loved him will now hate him. MOL only cares about Ryanair share price and therefore MOL himself!
Rather odd the very political parties FG and FF are very ones that in practice allowed the Greens to get
with the tail wagging the dog…so if FF &FG could not be trusted with the Greens how can they be trusted together in a joint coalition.
Put the full carbon tax on aviation fuel globally and quit hounding the agricultural food producing sector to pay for what O’Leary and the rest of Ryan Air shareholders wont cough up for, and anyone he endorses ignore them
The greens are right We don’t like it Tell O Leary to get back in his box He needs politicians to get his way That shower of Fine Gael will fall for anything Keep them out
Fine Gael get things done; for the rich and not us mere peasants, you want to live in a Republic that you can’t afford vote for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour. If you want house prices and rents to increase, vote for the tripke threat to the ordinary person. The ordibary person does not control these oeople with their vote, the rich do that without a vote.
Is he for real or what time for o Leary to go two there far to long a bit like this so called government
He must be on craic or some strong lush, be sure these are the guys who imposed the passengers cap, tywho gave us no metro north, a housing crisis and a poor infrastructure vision. What are you smoking Michael?
Michael O’Leary was speaking in some pub or other , to pub goers . Dear God , enough said .
O’Leary is bred born and reared a Blueshirt. Farmers from Rural Cork the home of Fine Gaelers who treated farm workers like Garbage.
A country is not a company
@Brian D’Arcy: wow
@Brian D’Arcy: No, it’s not, and they should be run differently, however there are stuff from the private sector that could be useful in running a country, like accountability, better reporting, using accural accounting for expenditure, better ROI , return on investment, better cash flow management and getting sacked if someone is crap at their job.
Is O’Leary having a laugh? Fine Gael has gotten nothing productive done since the last election. We saw our taxes (inheritance and property) being hiked sharply. More wacky environmental regulations, rules and carbon tax increases. More overspending on the Children’s Hospital, which now sits at 2.3 billion. Fine Gael has a weak foreign policy of sucking up to China, which is an authoritarian tyranny, and spitting on Israel, which is a Western, democratic country. There was also an expansion of rent control, zoning laws and more intervention into the housing market which made the problem worse. Fine Gael also keeps hiking up the minimum wage, hurting businesses. Michael O’Leary is a successful businessman. Surely he knows that endorsing a left-wing party will not benefit him at all.
Perhaps Ryanair, a massive company, should pay their fair share of tax, unlike the rest of us, who are heavily taxed through excise duty and fuel tax when we fill up our cars to go to work. Airlines pay ZERO tax or excise duty to fuel their planes, along with many other unique benefits, while we shoulder the burden of these carbon taxes. Maybe they should pay their fair share of tax, and in turn, we should receive a massive reduction in fuel and excise tax for our cars. Ireland lost out on close to €760 million in revenue in 2023 due to low levels of taxation in the aviation sector; that amount of money could pay for the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme of the Irish government three times over.
@John Dennehy: You keep posting this eventhough others have challenged it and essentially debunked it especially in relation to Renewable energy bit, you figures wouldn’t add very much given the number of houses, and the cost of solar etc.
Would you like to return to the past when taking a flight will cost a weeks wages and you will have to stay on a Saturday night?
@Paul O’Mahoney: All I’m looking for is a price reduction to put fuel in my car. Would you not like that also? I’m being realistic and not looking to pay zero fuel tax like Ryanair benefits from.
@John Dennehy: I don’t drive John due to illness, and I doubt very much a tax on aviation fuel would reduce the cost of petrol as both are different products and are traded globally and it’s international prices that dictate the wholesale prices an increase in taxes in one thing would never lead to a reduction in other taxes…..
@Paul O’Mahoney: I’m just sick of getting hammered with fuel tax and excise duty for driving, ever-increasing road tolls just to use my car to get to work. When massive, very wealthy airlines and their shareholders get away scot-free and pay ZERO tax on fuel. One set of rules for the massively wealthy and another set of rules for the rest of us.
@John Dennehy:
If airlines are more heavily taxed as you suggested then they will have to up their prices and the working class will suffer disproportionatey.
@H Woo: I would rather have cheaper fuel for my car every day to drive to work rather than have to pay a few extra euros for a return flight once a year. But I really don’t want to upset the wealthy Ranair shareholder either.
Shut up Michael. Your only interested in yourself. Ireland is more than an airport
@Shimo F: How many people does Ryanair employ? And how many auxiliary jobs does Ryanair support. Think carefully…..
@Paul O’Mahoney: Still while that ‘private sector energy’ is great, the system is so antiquated it’s main agenda is stopping, not starting, will be hard for whomever wants to build anything, I’m not sure we need ‘accountants’ either, pretty sure we have a few already! Perhaps only second to teachers!!
@Thesaltyurchin: Accountants and I was one, come in different shapes and forms, my jobs was analyses of past performances, budgeting and strategic planning or at least making sure the financial situation supported the rethoric in some cases. Ireland needs to move on from the type of politican we have had in the past….but I doubt very much that will happen as the job isn’t really that attractive.
While all politics is local the parties need better strategies and the Government needs better reporting and have it released to the electorate….for example LPT is simply loaded with all other taxes and we don’t know where it goes.
So Accountants, Engineers , etc are needed.
Hey Teachers, in the classroom,
don’t be taking what O’Leary said personally. He loves ye, ye are doing a grt job. He’s not that happy to see ye in the Dáil taking up ministers positions. Stay in the class room & do what ye do best, teach. In the late 1990’s Twas very difficult to fill teachers posts, at that time there were huge numbers on leave of absence including sitting in the dáil. They beauty of that was their jobs were held for them if they were not re-elected they could go back into the classroom & teach again until the next opportunity arose. Not sure if any went back…. ReRead O Leary’s speach, absorb, assimilate the words intelligently & you’ll know he’s not meaning the dedicated teachers in the classroom. If ye got into teachers training college ye r clever…. Use it….
@Roseleenella:
Plus full pension rights maintained.
Stand in teacher if receiving a lower salary? Differance goes to the missing teacher in the Dail.
Micheal is an extremely intelligent guy and an absolutely ruthless buisiness man. If he is doing anything to benefit someone else then there is something in it for him. Did I read somewhere recently that the cap on flights at Dublin Airport is going to be lifted??? I have to admit I admire the guy for what he has achieved with his off the wall publicity stunts and his straight talking. Ye can guarantee fg will pay a high price for his endorsement. I really wish he hadn’t though.
@Gavin Smartr: How can you cap flights? Like a prison.
@Gavin Smartr: Yes , and very good points by like all of us. He has one vote. He might influence more, but surely he has the right to vote/endorse who he wishes. All political parties would hack off their arms to get endorsements like his.
Shinners need to go on hunger strike
@Penguin O’Toole: Definitely some could do with a bit of weight loss, they are certainly eating well and enjoying the top table service.
Sinn Féin Caviar and Champagne days. ? ?
He had me at ” wipe out the greens”
Why doesn’t he stand for election and stop shouting from the sidelines.
The Journal shouldn’t be giving this airline merchant so much “air-time”.
Flights needs to be priced according to how much damage they cause. It’s not fair that airlines profit from ruining our planet.
@Rory Broughal: climate is screwed now with Trump in no matter what we do we rely on the big polluters to reduce their emissions
He also slagged off accountants, but you don’t see them getting sensitive about it
@Ian McDonald: You have no concept of what “punching down” means do you?
@Rochelle Hart: think context and the person who made the remark. And accountants endure punching down every day
If a multi millionaire tells you what way to vote do the opposite micheal o leary only cares about micheal o leary.
observe the refugee convention, deport when appropriate and grant asylum if genuine; carry out local impact assessments so that Irish communities are not crowded out of their heritage spaces and employment
@Joseph Mullen:
It is the Irish poor that are affect with the flooding of working class areas with fugees
O ‘Leary should know teachers make up a huge percentage of his passengers.
I’m switching to Aer Lingus.
As long as Aer Lingus fly into the nearest airport to their foreign holiday homes
O’Leary Woke? Behave yourself
Surely an oxymoron ‘politicians who get **** done’ but he’s not wrong, Greens really need a strategy that see them wanted at the table, they’ve swam against the tide for too long, we need roads we need massive infrastructure around our Transport, not obstinate politicians, gleefully sitting on hands. A one party solution might offer more but I still don’t see a train or road of significance in the next decade, no doubt some tidy work with the card deck, but people are at last starting to not be bought by €20 they’re gonna take off you a checkout anyway. Would also like to see FF wiped out for the nothing over the years, Berties biggest legacy isn’t even in this country ffs.
Are FF & FG considered right-wing?
@David Hickey: yes. Not far right but definitely favouring big business
@David Hickey: Depends on your perspective, in the USA they’d probably be centre. They’ve right leaning fiscal policy but are fairly centre/centre-left on social policy. The American Democrats would be right wing in Europe.
@Patricia Dunne: FF and FG have literally expanded the state. They are center left now – sadly
@David Hickey: Read the findings of the tribunals,I think that answers that.
It’s like Elon and Trump just missing the money and rockets
@Vinny Hughes: awesome comparison, the mighty FG will rule for 1000 years :)
@Vinny Hughes: Ryanair has a valuation of 23bn and he is still the largest shareholder he has the money. If rockets could hold 200plus people he’d be allover them like a rash.
@Paul O’Mahoney:
As long as he keeps the price of the flight affordable for the working class good luck to him.
All comments about the election are all shut down,this is what we can expect for the next three weeks,with the Journal,no right to reply
Yet the whole FG room cheered..
Media in this country is the pits
Imagine having that n
plank m Martin as your teacher never get a straight answer to a question
What a joke, he’s out canvassing for a gov that has created crisis after crisis . What’s he getting in return ?
@Rosie Martin:
Continued prosperity so the masses can afford what he is selling.
Chartered planes for immigrants
Big brown envelope for Michael o leary
@Michael Lyons: hopefully :)
A lot of waffle. One obvious question – are ex civil servants over represented ? Are ex private employees under represented ? I can guess the answer but maybe someone at the Journal could summarise the make up if the Dail and help end all this rhetoric ?
I dread to think of any contribution Michael O’Leary thinks he makes…all he is interested in is money…no concept of future…even for his own children!!!
@Oonagh Comerford:
He is the Hero of the working classes allowing us to experance foreign travel just like the elite.
For all the snowflake teachers getting upset at Michael O’Leary, he also slagged off accountants – but contrary to popular belief we can take a joke!
Those who can, teach. Those who can’t become TDs.
You would say that michael, you’re the woke elite FG look after, but the bigger picture michael the country is a mess because of FFG
Michael a 1000 lines home work for you. I must keep mouth shut during election.And a one way plane ticket to an none known destination with Harris and Mehole.
@Jimmy Kiely:
Michael O’Leary hero of the working class
@H Woo: oh poo, poo, your back were you working , or is this your get out of bed time. Yes he is the of the working man, once they know there place.
@Jimmy Kiely:
Try again.
@H Woo: poo, poo, get your potty and stand in the ?????
@Jimmy Kiely:
We seem to be using differant drugs, What are you trying to communicate.
@H Woo: we,we, there’s no we it’s you. If I’m honest it’s nice to see someone standing up for Michael he’s done a great job with the airline in fairness, but dose that give him the right to tell the ordinary working person how to vote, just because he has the ear of some of the cabinet ministers, so he get his way with passenger numbers in Dublin airport.
@Jimmy Kiely:
Strangers for the next two weeks are going to be telling me who to vote for
I agree with him about these groups, and I don’t care what anyone thinks or says about it.
Harris is a tool . He said today long the lines that not to many people can spend 5 mins in a class now a days . How long did you last Harris before you dropped out of college to become a tea boy.
We are constantly told by Fine Gael & Fianna Fail that there is a teacher shortage, which is lies. There is no shortage of teachers, they just don’t want to give them full time positions, the Govt bandied around a figure of over 900 teaching jobs vacant but didn’t point out that most are Temporary contracts. Fine Gael & Fianna Fail want to do what they did to Nursing, where they got rid of Irish Nurses & started issuing Work Permits for Non EU countries, bringing in staff & paying peanuts. This Govt have already toyed with the same idea for teachers. Now we have Burke & O Leary whose worth is over €800 Million degrading Irish teachers, it’s insulting, a pair of dirty Ball Bags. Fine Gael & Fianna Fail out now.
@John Mc Dermott:
There is a teacher shortage due to the large number of teachers opting to work part time or taken career breaks to find themselfs. End the practice and your on the way to solving the shortage.
@John Mc Dermott:
Teachers are required to have a certain standard of Irish.
How will foreign teachers meet the standerd.
@John Mc Dermott:
Foreign Nurses recerve the INO union rates.
@John Mc Dermott:
One more thing.
Most of the foreign nurses are trained to North American standards. so are more qualified to preform certain procedures.
Michael is 100 percent correct.
Michael O’Leary is a rich, privileged individual. He hates poor, ordinary people.
@Ciaran Leonard:
He targets the working class by driving down airline prices so the working class can experience the wonders of foreign travel.
Keep up the good work Mick.
I HAVE SEEN THE JOURNAL SHUT DOWN ARTICLES FOR LESSER DEROGATORY COMMENTS IN REPLIES ! PECULIAR THAT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE. ? ? ?
SELECTIVE CENSORSHIP ? ? ?
Teachers are History
AI is the new teacher
I am Jack’s complete lack of surprise.
Great comments Mick. Teachers should have a quota in the Dail with a maximum of 1. That would allow decisions to be made without “Kom-i-tees”.
Dont like Mr O’Leary’s put downs of Teachers, & sniping at other public services. But I do take the basic point clouded by his provocative words, that we badly need much more experience from outside public service & legal backgrounds. In fact ,if it was not for our higher public servants, legislators from closeted career backgrounds would be a total disaster.
Unfortunately, that safety net leads to naturally cautious, unprogressive, conventional decision processes.
So we get more of the same from all parties, whilst the nation & the world spins rapidly on all fronts.
M O’L's assessment that we need political leadership which is capable of moving, and more importantly, acting, in pace, is very true.
@William Kelly: You get socialist thinkers such as cushy teachers to run a country, you get what this country is…a hopeless case.
I have to laugh at the union comments, backbone, shaping minds, etc.
Clearly, they all missed the two weeks the Joe Duffy programme spent highlighting the sexual and physical abuse carried out by their members across the country.
As an abuse survivor, they and the stupid unions need to shut up and hang there head in collective shame.
How about a union apology to the nation.
Gas man though.
Fair play Michael’ telling it how it is
Snowflake teachers ,I think O Leary might be right
Of all the teacher-bashing in all of the last few years, INTO picks now to be outraged??? Roight!
@Mindful Muinteoir: You must be a teacher…
Obviously M O L knows what his doing …
Asked to speak about the candidate
But didnt really want to…?
So did he do this on purpose ?
The butcher the baker and candlestick maker know more about how the economy works the a teacher or career civil servant who never have to worry about the next payday 30 days holidays more for teachers sick leave maternity leave fat pensions and lump sum.Carers and creche workers earn buttons compared to them but the teachers unions have created a myth about how they develope children for the future. Looking at those children it seems the only ones doing well is the ones whose parents have money.
I thought there was a problem finding teachers these days! Oh, I see, they are all into politics now because it’s so lucrative….storm in a teacup this.
Well I suppose if it stops fg taxing aviation fuel o leary will make a fortune. Cop 28 and 29 hosted by the oligarchs and eamon Ryan first to humiliate him with his grovelling to get a job. Surely if oil and gas is doing what Ryan says it’s doing to the planet he should boycott it.He get a nice fancy job out of this
Hopefully this could be a kiss of death for anyone endorsed by this entitled over-privledged buffoon ,everybody knows the contempt he has for the working class (particulary his own staff) Irelands answer to the donald!
@Thomas Devlin: And an absolutely highly successful business man. Sounds like the usual begrudgers as without Ryan Air most people in this country would still be picking their feet and paying a fortune to Aer Fungus for the privilege of being able to escape to the sun. Micheal O Leary is a legend.
Michael O Leary is a legend, Irelands version of Trump, says it as it is. If only he was running in the elections this country might have a chance of being a decent place to live in. However, judging by the looney left comments here, maybe Dustin the turkey is a better option.
Someone with a totally tenuous connection to Ireland at this stage.. no interest in the real issues and would do a poor job if he entered politics to go along with the celebification of the blueshirt jockey and so on..if he is this insulting about teachers is he of the same mind about other underpaid, job insecure public sector workers like those unfortunate enough to be nursing in the HSE?! Damage limitation by the td. I doubt he disagrees so strongly
I don’t really get all the hate thrown on the Greens, they’re the only party in years to have the guts to bring in unpopular but needed policies. Fair enough Eamon Ryan was a disaster as regards managing his image as an effective politician, but at least they didn’t get consumed with people pleasing like FFG, and actually brought in important policies.
A (very) lightweight Musk trying to influence policy in his own favour. Other than voting, he should not be courting FG or involved in politics. Clear case of a conflict of interest. Picking on teachers is pathetic- most people have a very positive view of teachers, with many of us having or remembering a particular teacher who greatly influenced our intellectual development and life.
Padraig Pearse was a teacher.
Considering the problems faced by the country, I’m amazed over the amount of time being expended on mock “outrage” by hypocritical politicians.
have your say