No plans for stopover here despite Donald’s visit to UK

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has no plans to add a stopover in Ireland to his upcoming UK visit.

A “standing invitation” remains in place for Mr Trump to come here but there are no moves in that direction.

There had been some speculation in Leinster House that Mr Trump may make a brief visit to Ireland during the summer.

It comes after the White House confirmed that he will make an official visit to the UK on

Friday, July

13. The president will meet UK Prime Minister Theresa May at Downing Street and is also expected to have discussions with some members of the royal family. However, amid fears of protests, his diary will be much more low key than visits by his predecessors.

UK officials are describing it as a “working visit” rather than a formal state visit that would come with pomp and ceremony including an official banquet at Buckingham Palace. Taoiseach Enda Kenny invited Mr Trump to Ireland when they first met at the White House in March 2017. A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told the Irish Independent that the open invitation still stands “but the Government or our embassy in Washington has received no new indications that he plans to visit soon”.

“Meanwhile, planning a papal and royal visit continues at a pace,” he added.

Britain’s Prince Charles (pictured inset) and his wife Camilla are due to spend time in Ireland in the coming weeks, and Pope Francis is coming in late August. The Irish Independent previously revealed that soon-tobe newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also planning a visit to Dublin.