Leo Varadkar says he plans to invite Donald Trump to visit Ireland
His earlier invite still stands, but there'll be no golf.
Leo Varadkar has said he will be extending an invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit Ireland.
The Taoiseach had made the announcement ahead of his meeting with Trump in Washington DC on Thursday 15 March, in which he told press that his predecessor Enda Kenny's invitation still stands.
Kenny issued the invite in February 2017, although Varadkar (then the Minister for Social Protection) said he "wasn't keen" on the idea.
"Donald Trump has invited me to Washington DC," he said.
"He has invited me to his house and I think it is just normal hospitality that when someone invites you their house and their country that you reciprocate the invitation.
"I'm not into golf so I won't be playing golf with him if he comes to Doonbeg but perhaps it will be an opportunity for him to potentially visit some of the Irish companies that invest in the US."
Varadkar is also reported to have said that he intends to show Trump the Northern Ireland border, which comes one day after eight prototypes of the proposed Mexican border wall were erected in California for the President to assess.
Taoiseach #LeoVaradkar has said he will extend the invitation to #donald trump to visit Ireland during his meeting tomorrow #StPatricksDay2018
— Suzanne Lynch (@suzannelynch1) March 14, 2018
Taoiseach says the invite for Trump to visit Ireland still stands and will be reiterated tomorrow - he’s keen to let Trump see the ROI-NI border, which he knows the President is interested in... @3NewsIreland pic.twitter.com/PB6dPWvjc2
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) March 14, 2018
Irish PM Leo Varadkar says his invitation for Donald Trump to visit Ireland still stands "It's normal hospitality...but I won't be playing golf with him" (Varadkar says he's no good at golf)
— Emma Vardy (@EmmaVardyTV) March 14, 2018
Currently on the Taoiseach's annual St. Patrick's Day visit to the US, Varadkar has so far made an address in the capital to call for the official recognition of the Irish language in Northern Ireland, while also making specific reference to the same-sex laws in the state.
The four city tour will conclude on Saturday, 17 March where Varadkar will meet with Mayor Bill de Blasio, attend the Saint Patrick's Cathedral mass and finally walk in the Fifth Avenue parade.
