US President Donald Trump will visit Ireland in November, the White House has announced.
In a statement, President Trump said that he would visit Ireland “to renew the deep and historic ties between our two nations”.
He will come to Ireland as part of a trip to Europe which includes his participation in the armistice commemorations in Paris on November 11.
This will be his first visit to Ireland since his inauguration as President in January 2017.
It is expected that President Trump will undertake a two-day visit with Dublin and Doonbeg likely to be included in his itinerary.
Reacting to the announcement, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that “the US President is always welcome in Ireland.”
Writing on Twitter, Mr Coveney said: “Our two countries have such strong historic, economic, cultural and family ties. Maintaining those connections is always a top priority.”
According to the Tánaiste, President Trump will “stop in Ireland for a brief visit on his way to or from the Armistice commemorations in Paris on November 11th”.
Mr Coveney was subject to criticism for his comments, with Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin saying the Tánaiste’s invitation was “unnecessary, unwelcome and unwise”.
“We have an historic and moral responsibility to stand for something internationally. An invite to this most decredited of American presidents is an insult to the values of most Irish people,” he said.
He further called for the nation to take a stand against “the visit of this disgusting political monster to Ireland”.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said that President Trump “has been no friend of democracy or human rights”.
“We will always be firm friends of the American people, but Ireland will not welcome a man with Trump’s record of discrimination, sexism and lies.
“Labour will join with like minded people to oppose this visit.”