Enda Kenny ‘has no plans’ to meet Trump on Ireland trip

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has no plans to meet US presidential candidate Donald Trump when he visits Ireland.

A spokesman for Mr Kenny said there had been no request from Mr Trump for a meeting during the visit.

The Republican presidential candidate is to travel to Ireland this month to visit his golf resort in Doonbeg in Co Clare.

Mr Kenny's spokesman said the visit clashed with that of US vice-president Joe Biden.

He said the two visits “absolutely overlap” and that the Taoiseach’s schedule is expected to be “quite full” at the time .

The spokesman said no meeting had been sought by the businessman and that Mr Trump was coming to Ireland in a private capacity.

Asked whether Mr Trump wanted to meet Mr Kenny during his visit, a spokeswoman for the businessman told The Irish Times that they had not yet planned his schedule for the June 22nd-25th trip to Scotland and Ireland.

Mr Trump’s visit will come at a politically sensitive time, coinciding with Mr Biden’s visit to Ireland and the UK’s referendum on membership of the EU.

Doonbeg

The property developer and reality TV celebrity bought Doonbeg two years ago for €15 million and, according to his son Eric, who opened the redesigned course last month, has spent a further €50 million on it since.

Mr Trump referred to Doonbeg as "small potatoes" during a campaign stop in South Carolina earlier this year.

The spokesman for Mr Kenny also said the Taoiseach would not moderate his view on Mr Trump.

In the Dáil last week, Mr Kenny said comments by the businessman during the US election campaign were “racist and dangerous”.

The Taoiseach’s spokesman said Mr Kenny had made his position known and would not tone it down.