Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-27
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Duncan Smith (LAB), Dublin Fingal East

The US boycotted the G20 in South Africa on these spurious grounds, further isolating itself from traditional allies. The Taoiseach will go to the White House in couple of months; of that there is no doubt. However, considering what is happening on the streets of Minneapolis, considering the large numbers of members of the Irish diaspora in the United States - that is not to make an exceptional case of the Irish; it is all immigrants and indeed all citizens of the United States who are under threat from ICE - will the Taoiseach use his meeting with the US President as an opportunity to raise the huge human rights concerns we have as a civilised nation, a nation that welcomes immigrants and welcomes asylum seekers, or at least should do, although the Government is rowing back on that? Will he raise that with Donald Trump and ensure, whether it is Irish people living in the United States or other minority groups, that Ireland has their back and we will put pressure on the United States to withdraw its policy in relation to ICE and immigration?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-27/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:01+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-27