The Justice Minister has said it is a matter for the US President to invite whoever he likes into the White House.
It comes as the Labour Party is calling on the Government to formally condemn the invitation Donald Trump extended to Conor McGregor on St Patrick's Day.
The former MMA fighter was found liable of assaulting Nikita Hand during a civil trial last year - the judge in the case said the complaint in essence regarded rape.
However, Jim O'Callaghan told The Hard Shoulder that Donald Trump is free to associate himself with whoever he wants.
“It’s not a matter for the Irish Government to start telling other Governments who they should invite into their centres of Government,” he said.
“As I’ve said previously, he’s not somebody I’d be inviting in, I don’t think the Irish Government would be inviting him in to the centre of Irish Government.
“But it’s a matter for President Trump and it’s not for me to lecture President Trump on who he should invite into the White House.”
Elsewhere, Minister O’Callaghan has said that 1,500 Gardaí are trained to deal with public order incidents like the Dublin Riots in 2023.
Donald Trump and Micheál Martin. Image: Newstalk.The Minister briefed Cabinet Ministers earlier today on a Policing Authority report, which looked at how officers can better deal with incidents in future.
Two water cannons have been purchased by Gardaí, as well as 15 extra public order vans.
Minister O'Callaghan said he believes Gardaí are ready for any future public order incidents in Dublin.
“There are 700 who are trained Garda personnel who are available to police pubic order riots or events like that,” he said.
“So we have a significant number available like, if you assume that a third would be available we would have certainly in the region of 200 to 230 available for any particular available.
“I’m satisfied that we have the level of preparedness within An Garda Síochána.”
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US President Donald Trump chats with Conor McGregor. Credit: Daniel Torok/White House Photo/Alamy Live News
