'This is my second Election Monitoring Mission in the United States, and it's always fascinating as an Irish parliamentarian, because politics is done so differently over here.'

Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD, is in Washington DC this week as Head of the Irish Delegation to the Organisation for security and Co-operation in Europe.

He was asked about the US Presidential nominees, and he isn't impressed with either.  Michael Graham, who is broadcasting with George Hook on High Noon this week as part of Newstalk's US Election coverage, asked him what Ireland thought of Donald Trump, and he said he's seen as 'a nutcase'.

Deputy Farrell says there's a good chance Trump could win this week, and said it will be difficult if he becomes President.

In response to Graham's assertion that Trump being so close is because Hillary Clinton is so flawed and representative of the 'establishment' that people are mad at, Farrell said she's a 'dreadful candidate, who is a brilliant office holder when she gets into the position.'

The two also debated the issue of who gets to vote.  Graham is a long believer that not everyone should get to vote; his mantra being that if you don't know anything about politics, and barely know who is on the paper, you shouldn't get to vote.  Needless to say, Deputy Farrell didn't agree.

'Over 200m people can currently vote in the US.  In Ireland we have an 'opt-in' system.  There's no gun to anyone's head to get them to vote.  I can see your point Michael, but I just can't agree that you can disallow some people from a vote like that.'

Michael Graham also managed to get a word with him on video outside the radio studio, where he gave further thoughts on presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

"People don't think of Donald Trump as a politician, they think of him as a nutcase" @AlanFarrell speaks to @IAMMGraham ahead of #USElection pic.twitter.com/bsPaDOpJub

— Newstalk (@NewstalkFM) November 7, 2016

Listen to the full interview below.