Michael O’Leary’s comments on teachers: Tell us what you think

The 2024 general election has already seen its first controversy mere days into campaigning, courtesy of Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.

At the launch on Saturday of Fine Gael Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke’s campaign for re-election in Mullingar, where the two men live, Mr O’Leary said that “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.”

His comments, which were recorded and posted on social media channels, prompted laughter from some gathered at the event and were subsequently met with criticism from across the political spectrum.

Mr O’Leary doubled down on the comments on Monday morning, repeating his claim that there are “too many” teachers in the Dáil. He said he was making a “serious” point about the need for more diversity and that there was a need for more business owners to become TDs.

“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.”

Among those to condemn Mr O’Leary’s initial comments were Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael Simon Harris and Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who began his career as a teacher.

Mr Martin said the comments were “insulting” and failed “to reflect the enormous contribution” teachers have made to Irish society and enterprise.

We’d like to hear what you think. Are you a teacher or a parent who agrees or disagrees with Mr O’Leary? Do you think such remarks were inappropriate for an election campaign event? Has the controversy affected your view of Fine Gael? Do you agree that the Dáil should have more representatives with a background in private enterprise?

You can let us know what you think using the form below. Please limit your submissions to 400 words or fewer. Please include a phone number for verification purposes only. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please indicate this in your submission – we will keep your name and contact details confidential.

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