Cork teachers hit back over Michael O’Leary's 'callous' comments 

Cork teachers have criticised “callous, sarcastic, and wholly inappropriate” comments by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary at the weekend.

Endorsing Fine Gael candidate Peter Burke in Longford-Westmeath, 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.”

Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland committee member John Byrne, who represents Cork teachers, told The Echo: “I thought the comments were wholly inappropriate. 

“They displayed a callous, sarcastic disregard for the enormous contribution made by teachers often in very difficult circumstances. 

“The education system is chronically underfunded, we have a recruitment and retention crisis due to pay and conditions.

“Despite one of the lowest investments in education per the OECD, we still manage to deliver a fantastic education — I would urge Mr O’Leary to shadow one teacher for one day.”

Cork English teacher Conor Murphy said: 

“The reaction of the guests was more disheartening, there are loads of teachers in government, and to hear people who probably would have worked with these teachers laughing at the fact that they can’t be trusted to do anything was difficult. One-to-one, parents are always very happy and thankful but in the public sphere, you get abuse, you get laughed at — I had somebody tell me my job was pathetic and I was a loser.”

“It doesn’t help when the Minister for Education is telling everyone during the phone pouches debate that teachers couldn’t teach their classes because students were glued to phones, that’s reinforcing the idea that we’re useless.”

Irish National Teachers’ Organisation general secretary John Boyle said: “Teachers are the backbone of our country, shaping futures, inspiring minds, and driving the success of our society.” He added:

“Education is the passport to the future. The no-frills approach might attract some hard-pressed airline passengers, but it certainly sells our schools short.”

Cork South-Central Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said: “I find it appalling that teachers were mocked and jeered from a Fine Gael stage and somehow branded as not being able to get things done.”

People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Mick Barry said Mr O’Leary obviously never lived in emergency accommodation or a boxroom or spent time on a trolley or hospital waiting list — “otherwise he would know that there’s a lot of things that Fine Gael in Government have failed to get done in 14 years.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris called Mr O’Leary’s remarks “crass and ill-informed” and that he would have have no more involvement in Fine Gael’s campaign.