Letter of the Day

Michael O’Leary and Fine Gael’s election own goal

Teachers, politicians and “getting things done”

Letter of the Day
Letter of the Day
Tue Nov 12 2024 - 05:00

A chara, – In light of Michael O’Leary’s comments at the weekend (“Fine Gael distances itself from Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary’s ‘derisory’ remarks about teachers”; “O’Leary doubles down on teacher comments after ‘pile on’, saying he was making ‘serious’ point”, News, November 11th), I would like to invite him (or anyone else from the private sector for that matter) to come into any school and show us how to get our jobs done. I look forward to hearing and seeing their input first hand. For example, how to pay a gas bill when your capitation grant doesn’t cover your basic bills, how to build special classes for children with complex needs, how to teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics without few resources, and how to manage a school with few staff.

Perhaps they might teach a special class for a day (no additional training necessary, as the Department of Education doesn’t see that as a requirement anyway for teachers). During this day they might try to regulate a number of children with complex needs – without any of the resources they may need, teach them how to communicate verbally – while being assaulted physically (but no assault leave for you unless it’s bad enough to have you absent for five days’ minimum and even then it will come out of your sick leave) and then they might top it off by meeting with a number of irate parents whose children have not received any of the therapies they need to help them.

The teaching profession look forward to his valuable insights on this. – Is mise,

NEASA NÍ AOLÁIN,

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Dublin 5.

Sir, – I understand Michael O’Leary would like more diversity in the Dáil, with less teachers. Is he advocating a cap? – Yours, etc,

AIDAN RODDY,

Cabinteely,

Dublin 18.

Sir, – Regarding Michael O’Leary’s recent comments about the number of teachers in the Dáil, I agree wholeheartedly with his sentiment that more diversity would be welcome. A democratic government should, certainly, be reflective of those it represents.

Efficiency and profit are the name of his game. Of course, there is nothing wrong with money, efficiency, and profit – where would we be without them?

However, I dread to think of the state of our country were the Ryanair model to be applied to our schools. How much would first years be paying for oversized baggage? – Yours, etc,

MARY KELLY,

Athenry,

Co Galway.

Sir, – I would remind Michael O’Leary that even in his own business, he needs teachers to ensure that his staff are doing their jobs correctly and not putting passengers at risk.

It would be interesting to see how many of his aircraft would get off the ground without such teachers and trainers. – Yours, etc,

JOHN BERGIN,

Oxton,

Wirral, UK.

Sir, – Michael O’Leary is right. If you want a business person in the Dáil representing you, and “getting things done” for business, then choose a candidate who can do that. If, however, you are an “ordinary worker”, maybe on minimum wage, then a teacher is more likely to understand your needs. Teachers have a view into the real lives of the students, rich and poor, and appreciate the everyday challenges and struggles of us all. – Yours, etc,

SHEILA DEEGAN,

Dublin 3.

Sir, – The febrile frenzy elicited by Michael O’Leary’s light-hearted remarks in relation to teachers highlights the sensationalised nature of political coverage at present. This media overreaction to a trivial, non-issue does not bode well for election campaign commentary in the weeks ahead. One shudders to think of the potential media paroxysms when serious issues like housing, immigration, health and the cost of living are broached. – Yours, etc,

JOHN NAUGHTON,

Leopardstown,

Dublin 18.

Sir, – My mother and her indomitable colleagues taught in a primary school in Andersonstown, Belfast, in the 1970s and 1980s. They provided literacy and numeracy, life-long skills and interests to large classes with barely adequate resources. All delivered with care and love in an oasis of calm, often amid surrounding chaos. To me, that is the definition of getting things done. – Yours, etc,

MARY FULTON,

Blackrock,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – It’s only a few days into the general election campaign and it’s beginning to look a lot like America. – Yours, etc,

DES FOLEY,

Brittany,

France.

Sir, – I intend to retire at the end of this year having given40 years to the teaching profession. I, like so many others, see it as a vocation and dedicate our lives to the children we teach. Michael O’Leary should hang his head in shame having made such glib comments about my profession. What’s even worse was the fact that he got a reaction from his audience. I like Simon Harris but he definitely needs to put Michael O’Leary back in his box if Fine Gael wants my vote this year. – Yours, etc,

DEE DELANY,

Dublin 5.

Sir, – We keep hearing that there are not enough teachers for our schools. Maybe it’s because so many of them are in the Dáil. – Yours, etc,

ANNE STRAHAN,

Bantry,

Co Cork.

Sir, – What is a powerful millionaire businessman whose business can be affected by government decisions doing at an outgoing Minister’s re-election campaign? – Yours, etc,

GERARD FARRELLY,

Dublin 3.

Sir, – Throughout Michael O’Leary’s childhood, adolescence, and university years, did he never receive any support, encouragement, patience or praise from any of his teachers? This daily work of teachers is a very important part of “getting things done” for those they teach. – Yours, etc,

KEVIN LALOR,

Caragh,

Co Kildare.

Sir, – I’m a proud former teacher, builder’s labourer, meat factory operative, and volunteer, and I’m still busy “getting things done” in my seventies. Mr O’Leary’s sweeping statement about teachers’ suitability for political office does nothing to enhance his reputation, or that of Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke, whose judgment can certainly be called into question having scored such a spectacular own goal by involving Mr O’Leary in his campaign launch. – Yours, etc,

JOHN SHORTEN,

Balbriggan,

Co Dublin.

A chara, – Michael O’Leary would like to see fewer teachers in the Dáil because he prefers people who, in his words, “get things done”.

Irish primary schoolchildren currently sit atop the leaderboard for reading literacy among EU and OECD countries. They also perform significantly above the EU and OECD average in maths literacy and science literacy. This is despite the fact that Ireland is bottom of the OECD league table in terms of percentage of GDP invested in education and has among the highest average class sizes in the EU.

To me, this very much sounds like “getting things done”. However, Mr O’Leary may have a different version of what that means, considering he has chosen to endorse a party which has failed to make any meaningful progress on the crisis in recruitment and retention of teachers and other essential workers, failed to deliver its own under-ambitious targets in housing supply, and failed to progress a number of key pieces of legislative and constitutional reform promised in the 2020 programme for government. – Is mise,

NIALL CALLAN,

Dublin 8.

A chara, – Are we now also losing our sense of humour? He was poking fun. – Is mise,

VINCENT HOLMES,

Knocknacarra,

Galway.