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RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA posts by Ryanair which target Ministers Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin are “downright unedifying”, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said.
Earlier this week, Eamon Ryan announced that he is stepping down as leader of the Green Party and will not contest the next election.
In his speech, Ryan addressed online abuse aimed at the Green Party and at him personally. He said the abuse has gotten worse in the last year.
In the wake of his announcement, budget airline Ryanair posted a series of tweets on X, formerly Twitter, criticising Ryan as a “failed Minister” and calling both him and his party colleague Catherine Martin dunces.
One post, alongside a picture of Arts and Media Minister Catherine Martin, said “save us from Catherine Martin”.
Another post, alongside a picture of Eamon Ryan on a bicycle read: “Jumps before pushed in gen election??”.
The same post included the hashtag “Flights Not Bikes” and took issue with the passenger cap that is in place at Dublin Airport.
Addressing the social media posts today, Taoiseach Simon Harris said although he doesn’t want to fall into the trap of giving Ryanair free advertising by talking about it, the targeting of Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin needs to be called out.
“It’s downright unedify. Eamon Ryan is a very decent human being, I think he’s a good politician, too. I can disagree with him on points of policy. He can disagree with me on points of policy, but in many ways, he’s a textbook example for people about how you can be passionate and a politician of conviction and not be rude and not be toxic,” the Taoiseach said.
“I’m not getting into a thing around Ryanair, they only love that we are talking about them. It’s only more free ads for Ryanair every time we say Ryanair, Ryanair, Ryanair. So let’s not fall for that trap,” he added.
I mean, that’s how they work, isn’t it and fair play to them on one level if that’s how their marketing works but we should always call out toxicity.
“There is a difference between a joke and a bit of satire and a point where people seek to demonise a human being.
“Eamon Ryan is a very good man. Eamon Ryan is a person who has a family, Eamon Ryan has served his country well,” the Taoiseach said.
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What did Ryan actually achieve? – A Green who forces the airport to limit capacity whilst flying around the world on junkets. A politician who believes taxation is the only solution. Reality of using taxation like this, it impacts the most vulnerable and has no impact on the highest earners who will inevitably have the largest carbon footprint.
Ryanair’s tactic might be crude but good on them for calling him out. Saying that he cannot be called out for poor performance is wrong.
@Bat Boy: What taxes did Eamon Ryan bring in?
@SFO: what solutions did he bring? Irish Greens only talk in taxation.
@SFO: carbon taxes. Additional fuel surcharges, latest bottle tax (that is what it is)
@Lawrence Lynch: he didn’t bring in carbon taxes, they’ve been around since 2014. the bottle return scheme is not a tax and is in many other EU countries.
@SFO: stupi% comment ffs
@eoin fitzpatrick: but he made sure it grew to substantial levels during his tenure. This during the worst cost of living crisis the country experience. He resisted all efforts to pause the increases every May. So you’re correct he didn’t introduce them but he did promote them.
@SFO: Ah! Come on!
@SFO:
sugar Tax
Plastic bag Tax
Carbon Tax
Plastic Bottle tax
Coffee Cup tax imminent
Carbon tax effectively put a tax on absolutely everything
Transport
Energy
Production
Produce
Heating
Tha Man had no other answers
We still have zero public transportation
Diabolical dangerous roads that lack investment
Plus he didn’t tax sleeping, he was fond of that himself
@Bat Boy: answer the question, if you can.
@tara tevlin: It’s absolutely comical you take so much hate towards an honest, open question. I neither disagreed or agreed with the comment I replied to yet you reduce to profanity. I pity you. Go touch some grass while we still have some on this earth you seem to hate.
@Max Cooper: you’re telling me a single TD introduced all of these ‘taxes’ you refer to. I’d find that impressive if it was even remotely true.
The plastic bag levy for example, just in a quick search (you should try it some time), is under S.I. No. 605/2001 – Waste Management (Environmental Levy) (Plastic Bag) Regulations, 2001 (Eamon Ryan wasn’t a TD at the time interestingly) and was signed into law by
the Minister for the Environment and Local Government Noel Dempsey.
@Thomas: it discourages people from driving which helps the environment
@Max Cooper: The Sugar Tax, Plastic bag Tax, and Carbon Tax were not imposed y the Green Party.
Sugar Tax – Introduced in May 2018, was proposed in September 2016 by then Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan of Fine Gael.
Plastic Bag Tax – It was Jim O’Keeffe’s (FG) idea, in February 2002 he asked the then Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Noel Dempsey, to impose a levy on plastic bags. Plastic Bag Levy was introduced on 4th March 2002, 5 years before the Green Party were in coalition. The
Carbon Tax – The Carbon Tax is part of the 1992 Kyoto Protocol (Article 17).
Ireland ratified the Kyoto Protocol on 20 April 1994. We were on of the first countries to do so. The EU ratified the Kyoto Protocol in May 2002. The Kyoto Protocol came into force on 16 February 2005, after 55 countries signed up to it (84 counties have now ratified it).
Ireland introduced the carbon tax in December 2009 budget, as mandated by the Kyoto Protocol. To avoid the carbon tax, we’d need to leave the both Kyoto Protocol (nationally) and the EU.
“What is the Kyoto Protocol tax? These emission taxes require emitters to pay a fixed fee for every ton of carbon dioxide equivalents emitted to the atmosphere. The aim of these taxes is to encourage greenhouse gas emission reductions by adding a price to all emissions.”
The Green Party is not responsible for any of the taxes you mentioned.
@Max Cooper: Ryan,ashtray on a motorbike
Tax everyone and everything. Sooner gone the better
If you hold a ministerial office with a big pay packet you expect criticism….. In Ryan’s case he deserved more because of such a poor job he did. Particularly as the minister of transport. He set the country back years and was afraid to make any big decisions. Ryanair went easy on him!!!……. Is the Taoiseach saying ministers can’t be called out for doing a bad job?!?! Precious! We have snowflake TDs now!
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: As a shareholder in Ryanair I’m disgusted by the comments and have made my views known to Ryanair.
This is completely different to criticism, I have issues with Ryan and I’ve worked in “big business ” but this istotally unacceptable .
I admire Micheal O Leary and where he’s bringing the company but this is just not how to do it.
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: Eamon Ryan did more as Min for Transport than any of the previous 5 ministers. Claiming otherwise is just the usual Journal idiots blaming Eamon Ryan for every problem in their shit lives.
@Michael Barry: Care to list a few things as opposed to claiming he did?!? That should be easy for you if he was so great!
@Michael Barry: Still waiting for you to back up your claim Michael……..
Toxicity has crept into Irish politics due to sound bites for various projects, housing, health, immigration and crime whilst nothing actually gets done. Lack of manners is a cause too, if politicians actually worked for the people I believe there would be less toxicity
The Greens need to be called out and put out!
@Dave Grant: We have elections every 5 years. Abuse is not calling anyone out. It’s pathetic and childish.
Here’s an idea Mr Harris. Why not go to the polls and let us decide?
@Dave C: Or the journal could run a poll, do the readers feel it was toxic?
Obviously the nature of information has us closer together and able to say what we like (in all levels of society) but a great deal of the ‘toxicity’ could be avoided… by delivering for the people that live here. More politicians should be called out for lack lustre performances. Making Eamon Ryan the minster for ‘Transport’ was a ridiculous idea. We need real infrastructure in this sector and Mr. Ryan who has done a wonderful job in promoting the green agenda, we have a smattering of local-link busses, and the quays are rightfully going to be less of a congestion point, but the vast majority of Irish people are in a worse transport situation that they were 4 years ago.
@Thesaltyurchin:
- In what way are they worse off and how is it Eamon Ryan’s fault? Dublin’s public transport is far better than it was 4 years ago, and now has record numbers using Dublin Bus, despite post-covid numbers going in the opposite direction in the rest of Europe.
- How many rail lines do you think can be designed, planned, and constructed in 4 years?
@Michael Barry: Most of the country live outside the Pale so while Dublin might be OK. The rest of the country matters more.
@Michael Barry: unfortunately Eamo was supposed to be Minister for transport for Ireland not just Dublin. Obviously you are not aware of the complete non existent transport infrastructure outside of Dublin. People are spending hours in clogged up villages and Towns all over the Country. No bypasses . No public transport alternatives. Just taxes and cycle lanes. Not everyone is in a position to cycle around the country on our lethal and decaying road network.
Thank goodness the Minister for Taxation is on the way out
Hopefully we get a transport Minister that is unbiased and actually delivers both public and private transportation infrastructure.
@Michael Barry: Doing nothing is worse than trying anything. Dublins transport system is gridlocked all over the place, I cant speak to figures and base most of my opinion on experience but systems are not working for people IN Dublin or just outside Dublin, where I do more of my travelling, when I visit family in Limerick, it’s exactly the same. Transport infrastructure is terrible all over the island you can see that from our recent drop in the ‘places to do business’ rankings, where the main complaint is?… you guessed it! Infrastructure. In terms of your questions most commuters now pay higher bills, face longer journeys as a result of a refusal to build anything, it’s still vastly more expensive to ride the train (on the one line that goes in the right direction) 20 years since light rail was reintroduced, I will add to my previous rant, so far as to include the previous ministers for also doing sweet FA in this space (Shane Ross, Paschal Donohoe, Leo Varadkar, Noel Dempsey, all useless, incapable of providing for Irish people in Transport)… in terms of your last question, Copenhagen built a few trains during Covid I think, but how long is a piece of string if you have no string?
@Michael Barry: Dublin’s Public Transport System is not better than it was four years ago., The progress that has been made in certain sections of the system, had nothing to do with the minister but was already in the pipeline.
Bus Connects however has been a total failure, with so many service failures across the entire bus services across the city. We have some new services but they would have been implemented in some form anyway but the overall service standard has dropped because of the NTA and Bus Connects.
Is this the same government of which multiple ministers have referred to multiple members of the opposition as “Putin’s puppets” lecturing others on toxicity?
The government with a previous leader who referenced Pearse Doherty as having his “balaclava slip”. That government is concerned about toxicity?
Poor Eamon is being bullied by Ryanair’s social media account
@Irish Axe: Well, he’s only human, with family and friends. These tweets were viewed over one million times. Not sure many of us would be fine with that. Ryanair as one the biggest polluters in Europe are also sending a message to other politicians that they’ll go after them too. Satire is fine, but there’s something crass about this. I personally won’t be in any hurry to use them going forward.
@DCQ: Difference of opinion? I call people who condone Putins murderous invasion of Ukraine ‘Putinistas’ and ‘ferrets’. I wish one million people would see me calling out these anonymous accounts.
That you can’t see the difference between one anonymous account calling out other anonymous accounts and one of the worlds biggest airlines targeting an elected minister is another days work.
You really should think before you type. Foolishness.
@honey badger: he is an embarrassment. The greens need to be locked out fully.
@DCQ: Here’s the thing, I spoke about the article and its content in reply to a comment. You only managed to share your opinion of me. Having failed to understand, much less acknowledge, the inherent stupidity of your pub bore argument, I’d be very grateful if you disappeared to do whatever it is you do. I’m flattered you’ve taken the time to share your views of me and my comments on previous articles. It’s supremely childish. The inherent contradictions within your own comment suggest you’re not the brightest bulb on the ceiling. I’m happy to wave you off!
@honey badger: Being a Zionazi it makes sense that you have a deep underlying contempt freedom of expression as it can disrupt and defuse your favoured narratives, without which your wall of lies would come crumbling down. Unfortunately for your type we have constitutionally protected freedom of expression in this country and as long as there were no laws broken then it’s allowed. Stop trying to turn Ireland into a fascist hellscape where all you little Eichmanns would go around telling everyone what they’re allowed say
@honey badger: Ryanair 13.3 million tons of co2 per year.
Ukraine is a minimum of 100 million tons and add all the co2 to rebuild.
Politicians are fast to blame the plebs for pollution, but God forbid we denounce war, which they are all talking up.
The Military Industrial Complex is one of the biggest polluters in the world and it’s not counted or going to be reined in. Too much money to be made by our Masters.
@DCQ: Oh ffs. Am I one of the biggest polluters in Europe targeting a minister who has tried to manage and mitigate the effects of all pollution? You running interference with your pub-bore pseudo wit and asinine contradictions is only entertaining for yourself.
@Darth O’Leary: Jesus. I’m sorry if I upset you, Darth. There’s a lot of pain in this outburst. Naturally, finding Ryanair crass is identical to wanting to turn Ireland into a fascist hellscape. How prescient of you. Ffs .
@Donal Ronan: Should Russia withdraw from Ukraine?
@honey badger: I hate terrorists, but should Israel withdraw from Gaza?
@Donal Ronan: Yes, the moment Hamas releases the hostages. Should Russia withdraw from Ukraine?
@honey badger: I don’t believe in war. Yes, Russia should get out of Ukraine. Also, Israel should get out of Gaza and do a deal for the release of the hostages, by maybe rebuilding all they have destroyed.
The elephant in the room is the Israeli Prime Minister. He is only surviving by prolonging conflict. All wars have to come to an end.
I assume you are in Ireland and should know the agreements that were made with terrorists in the North. It would have stuck in the craw of many, but for the sake of peace, people agreed.
The West should keep its snout out of the Middle East and let them solve their own problems.
War is all about money. No war exists, without money. Terrorists even need money to keep going.
@honey badger: @honey badger: Fair enough, Ryanair like all airlines don’t pay green taxes.
But that’s hardly the industry’s fault. Makes you wonder why Eamon & Co went after turfcutters and farmers and not the big boys.
Just goes to show it works.
The arrogance of Simon Harris beggars belief. Is he in the real world? He is paddling way out of his depth as it is! Why send a boy on a man’s errand? You don’t send the trainee doctor to perform heart surgery!!
As regards toxicity let him first look at himself and his fellow colleagues in OUR Dail!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Great on the verbal garbage, but lacking in detail, you’re continually spouting rethoric but just can’t seem to connect the dots and make it a coherent post.
Of course, you’re happy to allow all types of abuse no matter its hatefulness …..
@Paul O’Mahoney: Next you’ll want me to draw pictures so you can understand it!! I won’t! If my postings from the heart irk you then mute me!!!
People 100% have the right to voice their opinions. Ryan was the minister of transport. Public transport is an absolute shambles. Therefore Ryan is a failed minister. Harris suggesting otherwise is farsical.
I don’t care what anyone says, Ryanair has the absolute best social media team in the world! Their tweets are absolutely savage, I love it!
@Daniel Skelton: i mean they make the paddy power banter look sophisticated, i’ll give them that
Oh, Sleepy Eamon came to town,
With ideas that made us frown.
In Cork, he swore he’d make trees smart,
But those robot trunks won’t even start!
Then off to Dublin, with plans anew,
He tangled cycle lanes, turning streets askew.
Riders zig and zag in a maze so cramped,
Even the pigeons are vexed and damp!
“Share your cars!” was his next decree,
As he rode alone, as free as could be.
Taxes on carbon went through the roof,
While Eamon’s limo stayed aloof.
And don’t forget his bottle scheme,
A plastic farce, a failed dream.
“Recycle, reduce!” he’d loudly claim,
Yet all those bottles stayed the same.
Oh, Eamon, with your lofty views,
The common folk you do bemuse.
With every plan and every plot,
It’s your own foot you’ve surely shot!
So here’s to Eamon, bless his heart,
In the art of blunder, he’s quite the art.
Though he aims for the stars above,
It’s the gaffes below we’ve come to love.
We will never see his likes again, oh wait! here comes Rod
Ironic, two buffoons sticking up for each other.
Ah this has to be a joke. Of all the things that are going on right this minute in this country, this was a joke. It was not toxic, or bullying, it was a joke. The Ryanair account is always making jokes. Simon has chosen to take offense to this one. You know what, everyone that is so upset about it do not fly ryanair again… simple.
We can choose to fly with Ryanair if we want to or don’t want to BUT we have no choice over having to put up with the toxic 3 of Ryan Harry and Martin, rodents the lot of them.
@K O: We do it’s called elections or democracy, and that’s the only way to change what you perceive as toxic.
The electorate spoke recently and they seem sanguine with what we have.
@Paul O’Mahoney: yes if your incompetent at your job like Ryan
If your incompetent and unable to do your job you are going to be called out. And by God he could not do his job.
@Patrick Khan: Would you accept that from a manager in your job?
You should be calling out the shambolic failings of this excuse for a govt. Instead, you act as their mouthpiece. Pure propaganda, plain and simple! Why do you think the govt are being criticized? Do a frikkin article on it, you shower of useless dopes.
@YKwkSIqW: Not sure why you spend so much time on this site if you consider them to be a shower of useless dopes. They provide a free service and should be commended for it, not abused by the likes of you. If you don’t like it, go somewhere else
@YKwkSIqW: And yet the recent elections proved to a point that the majority are happy with them.
People like you are frustrated because the narrative you pursue isn’t what decent people agree with.
As the old addage goes “empty vessels make the most noise ” By all means be disgruntled, but at least be polite when expressing that disgruntled narrative.
@SYaxJ2Ts: How much time do I spend on it exactly, kid? Why do spend so much time on it yourself? Every comment section, you’re all over it and to be honest, your tales are generally terrible…. Just saying.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Explain what narrative I’m pursuing, exactly? And when you say “people like you”, do you mean someone who is a woman, someone who is gay or someone who is of mixed race heritage? What is your problem exactly with “people like me”?
@YKwkSIqW: Ignore him Bronagh , if he was left in a room on his own , he’d pick a fight with himself!!
Does the Messiah Harris not realise we are living in a democracy and not North Korea. We are allowed to criticise if merited. Stopping children from going on holidays whilst the government are stopping seriously ill children from accessing vital medical treatment!!
Funnily the Greens want to ground planes whilst the other parties want them to fly!!
When a Company stoops to this level.Yes they need to be called out, and more
@RIP: Absolutely……
I’m no fan of Ryanair, I refuse to use them, it you have to admit all the comments are deserved. If the Greens had their way we would never get to see the sun or cur turf on our own land. The are totally anti rural Ireland. Roderic O’ Gormless will soon find out that unless he backs down on Draconian legislation, he’s the next ‘dunce’
Sûre Michael only said what everyone else was thinking, So what..
The part below where O’Leary suggested what should be done to “environmentalists” is nothing short of incitement to hatred in my humble opinion.
But we in Ireland have a record of bowing to ‘profit before people’ types.
It’s exactly the recipe we used to invite the IMF here to save us from ourselves.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/jun/04/michael-oleary-ryanair-airline-industry
Aww poor little spineless Harris, the same little lad that forgets he is the one that started the shyteshow that is the children’s hospital!!
And he was pathetic running away from Enoch burke’s father in Mayo a few weeks ago, wouldn’t even answer one question!! Spineless weed.
A nouveau riche, unsubtle character like O’Leary thinks he is above reproach and can personally abuse anybody whom he thinks might endanger the selfish and greedy agenda of Ryanair. Gullible travellers think he cares about them!! He only cares about his huge profits. He doesn’t care about climate change. And yes, Eamonn Ryan is a decent human being, a person of integrity. Very few of those around nowadays.
I have great time for Ryanair and Michael O’Leary, don’t ever forget, most of us still couldn’t afford to fly only for them and I don’t like “The tax the Living daylight out of everything Green Party ” answer to solve the climate issue, but, I think the attacks on Eamon Ryan from Ryanair are too personal, play the ball, not the man Ryanair.
Yet again the Irish people will vote FG back into power
the truth is now toxic i f it doesn’t suit the agenda…same as everyone who voices an opinion is “far right ” …sickening government control of the woke media
@William O leary: You started well but blew the point you were making, with the woke part.
Using the word without knowing what it is supposed to mean.
As bad as saying anybody that disagrees with certain parties or ministers alt right.
Easy barbs to throw, but when checked up, are proven wrong.
Well seeing as we’re going to call out stuff…
Climate change is real
@John O Reilly: And banning plastic straws does noting but make good press! If they stopped with the press stunts they would be respected a lot more.
I know people who rely on being able to use bendy straws, they used to be able to get them in wherever they were ordering drinks from. Now they order them in from China!
They dont like it up um.
The greens are so petty. Since they flopped in the elections, they’re blaming the people for not voting for them, and the whole Eamonn Ryan resignation and leadership nonsense seems stage managed. The greens are trying hard to be relevant, but does anybody care.
I thought he did a great job. He helped negotiate the EU Green Deal & COP to try save the human race from destroying itself. He reduced public transport fares by 20%. Opened up new bus routes all over the country, something no transport minister has ever done before. It’s been one of the very rare occasions where the a Transport Minister isn’t just a Minister for the Car Industry.
@Maurice F Glennon: |true loads of new routes, only problem is no staff or fleet to fulfill all his promises.
Privateers doing the Local Link buses with a special dispensation avoiding the rules the public companies have regarding disability access and inclusion.
Public transport is by vehicle anything other than that is not public transport, it is personal transport!
Sounds like hate speech to me, arrest O’Reilly and his social media team!
@AphroBeat: O’Leary! Whoops
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