Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Next week, as part of a one-week mission to the United States, I will be invited to the White House by President Trump. We will hold a bilateral meeting as part of that visit. President Trump is the head of Government of the United States, I am head of Government of Ireland and we are two countries which have very strong links. They are cultural - they run in our blood, most of us have American family and many Americans have Irish family - and they are economic. They are extremely important and I want to maintain and strengthen them. They will outlast any president or Taoiseach and it is important that we see everything through that perspective.

There are many of Donald Trump's policies with which I do not agree. I do not agree with him on migration, climate change or trade. I am very much a supporter of free trade and the politics of Donald Trump are much closer to those of Deputy Paul Murphy on that particular issue. I also believe very strongly in individual freedom, which encompasses women's right and the rights of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Of course I intend to use the opportunity of the meeting I will have with President Trump, his Administration and the vice president to deal with and raise some of those issues, specifically those relating to trade. I shall point out to the President the extent to which our relationship is truly bilateral. It is not well known but nearly 100,000 Americans across 50 states work for Irish companies. Trade goes in both directions and free trade and free enterprise benefit both countries immeasurably. I shall speak with the President about this in great detail.

I direct answer to the Deputy's question is that one can take two different approaches to these things. The traditional approach of the left and the far left to people they do not agree with is the policy of no platform, not talking to them, not sharing a platform with them and maybe just shouting at them. It has never really worked. The Government I lead will pursue a policy of engagement.

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