Could Irish tourists be banned from the World Cup next year over their social media posts? 

US officials have proposed that visitors to the country will be asked in their visa applications to supply links to five years of their social media history. 

The move is part of a package of measures from the Trump White House to toughen up border security. 

If implemented, concerns have been raised that Irish tourists might be unable to fly to the States next year for the World Cup - given how different American views on Palestine often are. 

Despite this, travel expert Eoghan Corry said US officials working in Ireland do not seem to be heavy handed. 

“There has been no incident, to my knowledge, at pre-clearance in Dublin or Shannon of people being turned away because of social media posts,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“It may have happened, but in the age of outrage on social media, you'd expect it to show up. 

“There have been high-profile international cases; in one case, a French academic who hadn't said anything about Gaza or Venezuela, but was talking about funding for US science projects on a WhatsApp group, he was turned away very early in this cycle.”

US Preclearance at Dublin Airport. Picture by: JoeranxSteinsiek.

However, Mr Corry cautioned that while America prides itself ob being a bastion of free speech, it has often taken a dim view of foreign nationals who oppose US foreign policy.  

“I'm old enough to remember the protests when Ronald Reagan came to Ballyporeen,” he said. 

“Some of my colleagues were involved at the time. Photographs were taken and people were turned down in 1984 for their J-1 visas.

“I don't think very much has changed. I think it's been done very much more in the public than before.”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Picture by: Tasos Katopodis / Government of Ireland.

Mr Corry continued that while tourists from other countries are increasingly shunning the United States, it remains popular with Irish people. 

“It's interesting to note that [while in] places like Germany, France, tourism to the United States is very, very far down; Ireland is flat,” he revealed. 

“It's more or less the same as last year; big drop in March. 

“That was mainly because of the date of Easter, it recovered in April.”

The FIFA World Cup will take place in 16 US cities in June and July next year.

Main image: A split of Irish football fans and Trump. Pictures by Alamy.com.