Ireland owes Trump a warm welcome now

IN the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s election we reported in this newspaper that Enda Kenny, during his phonecall with the newly elected American president, had extended an invitation to him to visit Ireland. Now it is official, with Donald Trump confirming yesterday that he will indeed visit these shores at some stage during the course of his term of office.

It is, of course, a relatively unpoisoned chalice from the Taoiseach’s point of view. He has asked, but he will not be the one expected to receive. When Air Force One touches down at Dublin Airport, it will not be Enda Kenny waiting to meet and greet on the tarmac.

As this newspaper revealed in a poll some weeks ago, 50% of the Irish people are opposed to a visit here by Donald Trump. Women, in particular, have made their feelings very clear in this regard, stating, in huge numbers, that they would not welcome it.

The bottom line, however, is that President Trump has now been invited and, with links already established here through his Doonbeg enterprise, there is every chance that he will act upon this official invitation.

This being the case, it is difficult to see how the interests of Ireland, within the context of the complex world we now face into, could be well served by reneging on the invitation entirely or by offering some watered-down version in relation to such a public overture.

Such a move, indeed, could well prove both embarrassing and disastrous for the country.

Those who are opposed to the visit should, of course, be permitted to make their feelings known. That is democracy, after all.

But an invitation from the Taoiseach has now been extended. Therefore it is incumbent upon the offices of the State to handle this properly. They must extend to President Trump, exactly the same courtesies that would be granted to any other head of state from any other part of the world. To fail to do so would be to let ourselves down.