Taoiseach and Tánaiste clash over Michael O'Leary’s role in Fine Gael campaign event
Ceo Harris's Ryanair Of About Teachers Pa Made Picture: Itself Has From The To Distance Party Simon Ments Worked
The Taoiseach has denied that there was any conflict of interest in the attendance of Michael O'Leary at the campaign launch of a Fine Gael Minister, but the Tánaiste says the issue underlines a difference in "ethos" between the two lead coalition parties.
Simon Harris's party has worked to distance itself from comments the CEO of Ryanair made about teachers, with Mr Harris saying they were "crass" and that the crowd shown on video laughing at them was "also wrong," but he denied there is any impropriety in the attendance of Mr O'Leary at Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke's campaign launch.
Speaking at his party's general election housing plan launch, Mr Harris said that he "completely and utterly disagrees" with Mr O'Leary's comments but that there was no issue with him being present at Mr Burke's launch. He said that he does not accept that Mr. Burke's department—which oversees agencies in employment, business, and standards—has any role in regulating Ryanair.
The Taoiseach also said that Mr O'Leary's attendance was akin to the Agriculture Minister meeting with farmers and did not accept the contention that meetings and personal campaign launches were different. Mr Harris said that Mr O'Leary was attending a local event. Mr O'Leary has said that he was asked to attend the event.
"We live in a democracy. People are entitled to come out and express their political views in a democracy.
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"I'm quite sure farmers are present at launches, and teachers are present at launches. This is a democracy we live in. It's one of the longest, most enduring democracies. People can say as they wish. But you know what? I can say that I completely and utterly disagree with the comments—that I think they're crass, that they're ill-informed. I'm annoyed about this. Annoyed about this. The issues that teachers care about around the country are the issues that I care about.
"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. His views don't reflect my position or the position of my party at all. I don't believe people will vote in this election on this issue. Things happen during campaigns. They can be a great source of annoyance. You can probably see that in my eyes, in the tone of my voice today."
According to the country's lobbying register, the airline has lobbied government departments four times since Mr Burke became a senior minister, though not his department. The airline has lobbied on stamp duty, regional airlines, slots at Dublin Airport, and general aviation policy, the register shows.
Micheál Martin said the cheering and jeering of the crowd to the comments "was not good" and speaks to the "ethos" of Fine Gael.
"The cheering was not good, in my view; it illustrates certain characteristics, perhaps of the other party's orientation. Our orientation has always been, in education in particular, to celebrate the role of teachers. That has been a longstanding tradition in Ireland going back over a century—the role of the teacher in the hedge schools, the role of teachers in communities. They lifted communities, they inspired people, they motivated people.
"It perhaps speaks to fundamental differences in the ethos of the parties when we see something like that happening."
Asked about the controversy and whether it was appropriate for Mr O'Leary to be at the event, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said: "No one ever launched my campaign in the past, and I think anyone who aspires to office should launch their own campaign, because you're out there asking people to vote for you, to support you."
Asked if it was appropriate for Mr O'Leary, who had repeatedly called for the sacking of Eamon Ryan, to launch the campaign of the Enterprise Minister, he said: "Is it appropriate? I wouldn't do it; that's my individual position.
"There are issues that you're raising which I think raise other questions, but it was transparent in that it was in the public eye. I certainly, by the way, didn't think the attacks on Eamon Ryan were appropriate, and we had that campaign before, from the head of Ryanair in a previous period, in respect of ministers, some who have passed, who were subject to these kinds of campaigns, which were not good enough, really."
Mr O'Leary, who has repeatedly called for the sacking of Green ministers, doubled down on his comments this morning, telling Newstalk:
"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 said.
"I think Catherine Martin would 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."
Mr. O'Leary said that the country "needs different professions or certainly a better mix of professions if we're going to deliver for our population, which is rising rapidly over the next decade."
He said that he "loves" teachers but wanted to see more people entering the Dáil from private enterprise.
Mr. O'Leary continued by saying that people should vote for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in the upcoming election.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, also speaking on , 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?"