Government says Trump welcome, ‘like every tourist’

No plans in place to hold meeting with billionaire during visit to Co Clare golf resort

The Government has said US presidential contender Donald Trump is welcome to visit Ireland but a meeting is not expected.

Mr Trump is to travel to Co Clare later this month to visit his golf resort at Doonbeg.

Government sources Mr Trump is coming to Ireland in a private capacity and did not expect a meeting to be requested.

A Government spokesman said: “Mr Trump, like every tourist, will be more than welcome to Ireland and we hope he has a pleasant stay.”

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Taoiseach Enda Kenny labelled some of Mr Trump's comments "racist and dangerous" while Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar said he was sexist and misogynistic.

The visit coincides with the visit of US Vice-President Joe Biden and the referendum on a British exit from the European Union.

A spokesman for the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, who welcomed the Republican here previously, said he had nothing to say on the impending visit.

However, the Green Party has said in a statement it will protest Mr Trump’s visit.

Party leader Eamonn Ryan has called for a "peaceful, purposeful" demonstration against the billionaire's arrival.

“We’re calling for all interested political parties, NGOs, and civil society organisations to work together to send a clear message to the US voters that we reject Donald Trump’s politics,” said Mr Ryan.

Referring to Mr Trump's anti-immigration policies and proposal to build a wall between the US and Mexico, he said: "We will not meet our common challenges by building walls between nations or by demonising people of different faiths."

“Whatever you do, please do not vote for this man,” he said.

Party leader Eamon Ryan called for a “peaceful, purposeful protest to show the world that Ireland rejects the divisive views espoused by Trump”.

“We’re calling for all interested political parties, NGOs, and civil society organisations to work together to send a clear message to the US voters that we reject Donald Trump’s politics,” Mr Ryan said.

“We will not meet our common challenges by building walls between nations or by demonising people of different faiths. We have skin in this game because his efforts to undermine climate action will put us all at peril.

“We have an obligation during this visit to say to our Irish-American cousins: Whatever you do, please do not vote for this man.”

Mr Ryan said the party would contact different organisations in the coming days to try to arrange a protest that would be “peaceful and as colourful and large a protest as possible”.

He said the “politics of division and fear” had “no place in Ireland”.

People before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said his party would also be protesting the visit of Mr Trump.

He said: “He’s not a joke.

“He’s a dangerous and vile racist, and warmonger, and sexist. And we need to show absolute opposition to everything he stands for. There should be no official reception for him.”

Mr Trump’s trip will coincide with the visit of US vice president Joe Biden to Ireland from June 21st to 26th and the Brexit referendum on June 23rd when British voters will decide whether or not to leave the European Union.