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Michael O’Leary, licensed CC BY 2.0 by World Travel and Tourism Council.jpgRyanair boss accused of inciting hatred against "bloody cyclists”
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has once again taken aim at Dublin City Council’s efforts to get more people on two wheels, accusing it of “nonsensical pandering to bloody cyclists."
His comments, made at a fundraising breakfast for Fine Gael, the leading party in Ireland’s governing coalition, have led to accusations of “incitement to hatred” against cyclists, reports Dublinlive.ie.
The airline boss said the local authority had “destroyed” the city centre of the Irish capital by favouring cycle-friendly policies.
But Dr Mike McKillen, chair of national cycling advocacy network Cyclist.ie, accused O’Leary of encouraging motorists to foster a hatred of people on bikes.
He said: "He's a disgrace. He's a loudmouth who loves to shoot off at everything. Why does he hate cyclists? What's the problem?
"We have legislation against incitement to hatred on a number of different grounds but not for the hatred of cyclists.
"Why does he have to express his hatred publicly, albeit at a private meeting of Fine Gael.
"People who hate cyclists and express it publicly gives other drivers reasons to go at cyclists or go past them dangerously, too closely or too fast.
"It should be seen as incitement to hatred."
Four cabinet ministers, including finance minister Michael Noonan, were reported to have attended the fundraising event at Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel, with businesses paying 550 euro for a table of 10.
O’Leary also took aim at unions representing bus drivers and Gardai officers, as well as the European Union and national broadcaster RTE, which he described as a "rat-infested North Korean union shop."
"If they don't want to work let somebody else do their jobs, let's allow more competition, let's continue to roll out more competition, let's make Ireland even more competitive," he said.
In May this year, speaking at an event organised by the US Embassy, O’Leary said Dublin City Council “deserve a slapping” for policies that favour cycling, adding, “we should take the cyclists out and shoot them."
> Ryanair CEO – “Take cyclists out and shoot them”
As we reported last month, the council’s plans to invest further in cycling infrastructure have been dealt a blow after funding for future projects was withdrawn by central government, with initiatives under way also frozen.
> Funding pulled for cycling projects in Dublin, current projects suspended
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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18 comments
surely cyclists are already outside?
That attention deficit dissorder again. Has Ryanair not been in the news recently.
As with many other bosses, did he start out an arrogant, self-important, ignorant eejit, or did he become an arsehole by having a company of arse-kissing lackeys kissing his arse day in day out?
Did he know that it's National Hate Crime Week?
http://www.itv.com/news/central/2016-10-07/police-and-crime-commissioner...
Of course, that's the UK, so I'm not sure if it applies to RoI.
To be serious, is it time that the designation "hate crime" applied to crimes against cyclists? Words and deeds are both regularly used by some people to show that they hate cyclists for no other reason than they are cyclists.
I think there's a general trend back to hostility against minorities. Even with things as they stand, Cyclists are one of the few groups you can incite hatred against, and threaten with impunity.
As someone who commutes in and out of Dublin this is nothing new. Last May, in public he said that 'cyclists should be shot' - http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/ryanair-s-michael-o-leary-say...
Having been knocked off my bike by motorist a few weeks back it pains me read yet more of this mans garbage! I'm now very seriously considering making a formal complaint about him. Any ideas as to how?
Yes you can make a complaint to the police under the Irish statue - Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1989/act/19/section/7/enacted/en/html...
Might fall under S7 - as he was making that comment in a work capacity as a director (or other position), at the time.
Does Irish law extend to groups like cyclists, or just any person, I don't know. Maybe it's outlined in the statute. Definitely will have been developed in common law I'm sure. Either way, you can complain to the police and let them decide. A lawyer would be best, but you know.. $$$
Might get lucky. Hope you do!
Does this mean that other airline company bosses should step in and tell him to not be such a twat as he's giving them all a bad reputation?
From the man that purchased a taxi license so he could legally get about town via the bus/cycle lanes....syphillitic cockswab that he is...
Do you know the story?
O'Leary goes into a Dublin bar and orders a Guiness.
"That'll be one Punt."
"That's very cheap."
"It is, isn't it. Would you be wanting a glass with that?"
At first glance I saw 'incitement to hatred' and thought that was taking it too far.... But I think this is an interesting debate.
When people on bikes are killed regularly due to laziness, incompetence, impatience, negligence, belligerence.... what would it take for the promotion of opinions like this, that group all those different people under one banner for the purposes of ridicule, to actually be treated as incitement to hatred?
Load mouth, rude, intolerant, narrow minded....he'll be standing for Taoiseach soon!
Or don't use his airline. And when you book on another photocopy your reservation, email it to Ryan air and explain why you chose not to use them.
We should take the intolerant, narrow minded idiots out and shoot them.
Never heard of irony then?
O'Leary is what's colloquially known as a Gobshite here in Ireland. Feel free to ignore or laugh at him, he's an eejit. Just don't take him seriously - we don't.
He is free to say what he likes.
However I would also accuse the media of a "nonsensical pandering to bloody minded, hate mongering, holier-than-thou bosses of crappy airlines who think they have a god given right to dictate government policy for their own petty, small minded and selfish agenda’s"
Twat is twat shocker!