Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too am pleased to be able to speak on this debate. On the business committee, I was one of the people who opposed the frenzy we had to have an immediate debate and have huge hand-wringing, eye-washing and God knows what. As Deputy Healy-Rae said, Mr. Trump was elected by the American people. We are always told that it has one of the greatest democracies in the world. Now they are blaming the state system. That was never blamed before. That is the system they have always had. It is a relatively new democracy and they have always accepted the outcome. Just because they do not like the result, they want to blame the system. I wish Mr. Trump well. I certainly have concerns about some of the things he has done as well. However, he was elected. No matter what he is or is not, we have no business here telling him what to do. Is he going to listen to us? I doubt it.

As regards all of the hypocrisy about this executive order, the seven countries on the list were actually compiled by the Obama administration. Where was the outrage then? They were ready and waiting. The Obama Administration stopped processing Iraqi refugees for six months in 2011 and banned Cuban refugees. There was not a word about it. Let us cut out the hypocrisy. President Trump is doing it for 90 days, as against six months, with a visa-by-visa exception written into the executive order. I believe that is more humane, understanding and fair.

This is not an arbitrary list although Deputy Micheál Martin said it was. It is anything but. It is a ridiculous statement that completely ignores the reality of where extremist Islamic terrorists are being radicalised. Iran is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. Saudi Arabia is especially close with the United States. Where was the outrage then? Let us get it into perspective. We have enough issues to deal with here in our country. Indeed, we are not going to be crowned in glory by the shameful treatment we have given to the unfortunate individuals seeking asylum in Ireland. I have met many of them in Carrick-on-Suir and around Tipperary that are held in those terrible holding centres for up to a decade in parts of the country. The Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, knows about that too in Donegal.

Former president Mr. Bill Clinton talked about halting the immigration and refugee process to enable reform and protection of American citizens. Where was the outrage then? That was Bill Clinton, who did a lot for the peace process here in Ireland. He did a lot for Ireland in my opinion, but where was the outrage then? It is just because certain sections in the media and certain people in politics do not like President Trump or the result of the election. We had independent observers over there, or so we were told. I happened to be on a radio show one night with one of those observers, a Deputy from the Government side of the House. His name eludes me now. He was lamenting the outcome of the election. I thought he was an independent observer. I did not realise he was over there canvassing to stop Trump. However, this is the farce that goes on. Deputy Healy-Rae mentioned travel. It is very important. However, if one travels as an independent observer, one is meant to be an independent observer to observe the election and what goes on.

There is plenty of fake news and bias in the media here as well. Yesterday evening the Taoiseach was telling us stories for three hours and, in spite of the plug in his ear getting messages telling him to change his tune, he was rambling around the House like it was a rambling house, ag cuardach. He was talking to someone, then ag caint le someone else, then maybe a song and a bit of dance and then he would come back to some other thing he thought of. He had meetings before he had them at all. He ran away with himself. Sin scéal eile.

The Obama regime came in as the be all and end all. My own daughter was at his inauguration.

There was a 200% increase in the number of drone strikes and hundreds of thousands of children were slaughtered under the Obama Administration and what was the reaction from here? Silence. President Obama deported up to 3 million illegal immigrants, more than any other President. This was the great saviour, but what did he do? He added $7 trillion to the US national debt, yet he is the messiah of the American economy. The hypocrisy is staggering.

We now want to deal with President Trump. With regard to the Taoiseach travelling to the US for St. Patrick's Day, every Taoiseach has done that. It is a wonderful privilege to get the opportunity to go to the White House. I was there on one occasion as cathaoirleach of a county council and I saw the importance of that day with all the side meetings taking place and so on. I urge the Taoiseach to meet as many of the undocumented Irish as possible. The Taoiseach must go to the White House. He might be able to stay there a long time because we might not want him back but, nonetheless, as Taoiseach of the country he has to go, and I wish him well in that. I know he will do his best, once he puts away his phone. I hope he will not text the way he did in front of the Pope, but sin scéal eile.

The persecution of Christians throughout the world is unbelievable. I have tried to debate that issue in this Chamber. His Holiness, the Pope, asked me and other people from Ireland and throughout the world who are members of the International Federation of Christians to return to our Parliaments and debate the genocide of Christians. Who bombed the hell out of Iraq, Syria and other countries in the Middle East? Christians could operate with impunity under terrible dictators but now they are being slaughtered because they are Christians. Like Deputy Healy-Rae, I welcome people of all faiths and none to Ireland, but where was the outrage when that genocide was taking place? It is important that we put that in perspective. They bombed the hell out of those countries and Christians, as well as members of minority Muslim sects, were slaughtered. Deputy Darragh O'Brien will bring forward a motion on the Yazidi tribe but we cannot be selective. All people who are being persecuted must be protected. I do not like some of President Trump's language but we should not condemn him about his business. It is a pity we do not have a few businessmen on the opposite side of the House because we would have a better country. We would not have a Health Service Executive, a Tusla and all the rackets that are going on, with people promoting themselves and not being accountable to anybody. We need business decisions and people with a business brain. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae told a lovely story about his late mother and the leabhar sin fadó, fadó. She was a very intelligent and far-seeing woman. She read the book and she could see what would happen in the future. It is a pity that she went to her eternal reward before it happened but I am sure she knows, and I am glad her son was able to recount that story.

As far as keeping the preclearance centre at Shannon is concerned, we have to keep it. It is vitally important for the economy and also for our own people. The people involved are dealt with humanely. President Trump is talking about dealing with immigrants on a case basis, not imposing a blanket ban or deporting 3 million immigrants, as was done by his predecessor. We must have some perspective on this issue and be sane about it. We should not run away with ourselves thinking that we can interfere with a democracy like the United States. We cannot keep our own little house in order. There is an old saying that if one cannot clean one's own windows and keep the good flag up one should not be looking at anyone else's windows or flag. We are living in the valley of the squinting windows if we think we can affect what is happening in a country far away. The US has always been good to us. I have many relations in the US. There are many undocumented Irish living in the US and until he starts interfering with them, I will not be expressing any outrage.

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