Teaching unions have criticised comments made by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary about teachers, calling them "insulting" and "very disrespectful".
At an event on Saturday night to endorse Peter Burke, Fine Gael's Longford-Westmeath candidate, 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."
The comments were criticised by opposition parties, while Mr Burke said he deeply values "the work our teachers and educators do in shaping our children's futures."
Mr O'Leary's remarks were "insulting, ignorant and laughable", Association of Secondary School Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) General Secretary Kieran Christie has said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime programme, Mr Christie said that Mr O’Leary was "only a bit player in all of this".
"It was organised by a government minister, it appears. It was at a Fine Gael party event and it was loudly applauded and endorsed by those present," he said.
"They gave him the platform, and obviously they’re backpedalling now for the last 24 hours because it’s obviously not electorally advantageous."
Fine Gael leader Simon Harris described the comments as "crass and ill-informed" and added that he was "pretty annoyed about it".
Asked about laughter at the event, Mr Harris said the "event was open to the public" and that he had "no idea" if Mr O'Leary had donated to Fine Gael.
Mr Christie said that his remarks had caused anger amongst his ASTI colleagues and said that "people are angry because they work hard, they do a good job".
"To have this kind of abominable nonsense spoken about them at a Fine Gael organised event is just not acceptable."
Mr Christie said that he agreed that a "functioning parliament" should have a range of different opinions and professions but said that Mr O’Leary should not have "insulted an entire profession".
Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) President Carmel Browne said the comments were "disgraceful and very disrespectful".
Ms Browne was attending a student council election ceremony at Moynalvey National School in Summerhill, Co Meath.
"For those in Fine Gael, it’s time for them to think seriously about who they get to promote their campaigns.
"If you look at the elections in the US, they did bring out celebrities, but it didn’t work there and I don’t think it’s going to work in this country either," she said.
O'Leary comments 'crossed a threshold of decency' - Bacik
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman he was "really appalled" by what he described as the disrespect that the Ryanair CEO showed an entire profession.
He said he was "particularly shocked" to see the reaction the remarks received from the "Fine Gael faithful" at the event.
Mr O'Gorman accused Mr O'Leary of "speaking to an agenda who want the Green Party out".
He added: "If Michael O'Leary was designing his fantasy cabinet, from the sounds of it, it would be made up solely of rich men."
Mr O'Gorman also accused Mr O'Leary of "undermining" public services.
"The one thing that Michael O'Leary has been consistent about over the years are his attacks, his undermining of public services in this country," he said.
"That's why I think it's so important for the Green Party to remain as part of this government, so we continue that high level of investment and support for the tens of thousands of public services servants who do amazing work in terms of delivering services for Irish people every single day."
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that she is not satisfied that Mr Harris clarified the situation.
Ms McDonald said the issue was not the comments, but rather the response from a room of Fine Gael activists and members.
"I don't think the Taoiseach has clarified that and I think he should", she said.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik she was "horrified" to see the Ryanair boss doubling down on what she described as his "despicable comments" in relation to teachers.
Speaking in Mount Argus in Dublin, Ms Bacik said the Labour Party "utterly reject" Mr O'Leary's comments and said his rhetoric has "really again crossed a threshold of decency".
"We want to ensure that politics is kind, that we have a decency in our political language, in our discussions and in our communications with the people we want to represent, and that we do represent.
"And I think in personalising comments that were already disrespectful to teachers, we've reached a new low," she said.
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Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats said he does not accept Fine Gael candidates separating themselves from Mr O'Leary's comments.
He said Mr O'Leary should never have been given a "podium" to speak from at a Fine Gael event.
"I don't accept Fine Gael ministers now separating themselves from the podium they gave Michael O'Leary.
"The fact that he doubled down today means nothing to me. The fact that he was invited up on that podium, knowing that there was something controversial going to be said, that's what sticks in my craw.
"Those words are very much embody what I see is Fine Gael's approach to public service and public servants in this country, they just said the quiet part out loud, that's all.
"Teachers are undermined in their classrooms every day. They're underfunded and under resourced and so to actually see the room full of Fine Gael supporters laughing at that? I just thought it was disgraceful."
More people from private sector needed in Dáil, says O'Leary
Mr O'Leary reiterated his belief that there are a lot of teachers in the Dáil and that better diversity and more businesspeople are needed.
Speaking on Newstalk earlier this morning, Mr O'Leary said that what he had said on Saturday was "perfectly correct", adding that people were free to disagree with him.
He said teachers do a brilliant job in the classroom every single day, but said he believes that different professions, and a better mix of professions, are needed in the Dáil in order to deliver for a growing and changing population.
Mr O'Leary said he does not believe teachers are less qualified than others to work in government departments, but he believes that those in the Dáil have performed poorly.
He cited Green Party ministers Catherine Martin and Roderic O'Gorman as two former teachers "who have clearly failed" in their roles.
"I'll give you the example of Catherine Martin, for example, who's the minister for tourism. She's been minister for tourism for five years, and what has she delivered? A (passenger) cap at Dublin Airport.
"I think Catherine Martin will 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."
Asked about Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who is a former teacher, he said "there is an exception to every rule".
Roderic O'Gorman rejected criticism of himself and Ms Martin and said he was "very proud of my record of delivery in my department" and of the Green Party's record of delivery.
Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, also speaking on Newstalk, 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?" Mr Ryan said.
He said it was a sign that the party wants to be "less ambitious on climate" which he said was "a mistake".
Additional reporting Barry Gallagher, Tommy Meskill, Fergal O'Brien, Carla O'Brien, PA
