Updated 21:57
The US President Donald Trump is to visit Ireland in November.
The White House announced plans for the visit in a statement this evening.
President Trump is making the trip as part of a European tour that will also see him travel to Paris for a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the armistice that brought the First World War to a close.
The White House says the Irish visit will "renew the deep and historic ties between our two nations."
"While in Europe, the President also will visit Ireland to renew the deep and historic ties between our two nations" - US President Donald Trump to visit Ireland in November: https://t.co/HJL09U7Xjk pic.twitter.com/tmJ6o0IdNl
— Mick Staines (@shhtick) August 31, 2018
President Trump was originally invited to Ireland by Enda Kenny on his final St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House.
Leo Varadkar seconded the invite on his own US tour and doubled down on it this summer – amid fury over US ‘family separation’ immigration policies.
Details of President Trump’s visit have yet to be released, however it is thought he will spend two days here.
In a statement, the Government confirmed the news.
"The Taoiseach understands that President Trump will stop in Ireland for a brief visit on his way to or from the Armistice commemorations in Paris,” it said.
"It will be an opportunity to follow up on the issues discussed in the White House in March including migration, trade, climate change and human rights issues."
We'll be organising a protest against his visit. Help us to do so if you abhor his policies on climate change, refugee migration, trade wars, military expansion, economic inequality & the whole gung-ho, misogynistic, racially divisive show. #TrumpInIrelandhttps://t.co/wKKHzh1spb
— Eamon Ryan (@EamonRyan) August 31, 2018
“Large scale public demonstrations”
This evening, the Green Party called for “large scale public demonstrations” if the visit goes ahead.
In a statement, party leader Eamon Ryan urged the people of Ireland to “show their disgust and rejection of the Trump administration's policies by turning out, as we did during the Iraq War in 2003, in large-scale mass protest around the country.”
"Donald Trump's administration champions policies that are destroying our planet, destabilising international order, and reaching new political depths by appealing to racism, misogyny, xenophobia and hatred,” he said.
“These policies do not reflect the Irish people's values - we need to show him and the world that this is not normal.
“Decency, integrity and fact-based politics still exist and are worth defending.
“We're calling on Irish people to tell our Government to cancel this visit; and for them to demonstrate in never-before-seen numbers should they fail to do so."
Sacrifice
The White House said President Trump’s participation in Armistice Day events will “highlight the sacrifices that Americans have made, not only during World War I but also in the century since, in the name of liberty.”
President Trump will attend the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina later in Novemebr before visiting Colombia.
