Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the US presidential election result, I pay tribute to Hillary Clinton. She is both capable and competent and, from a young age in college, she demonstrated her will and zeal for civil rights and equality. Her commitment in this regard is well documented. The US made history in electing a black President but on this occasion, the people did not want to continue in this vein and elect a woman President.

As Members have alluded to, we have to be real. Democracy has spoken and we all subscribe to democracy. I join with those who have sent congratulations to President-elect Trump. It has to be acknowledged he has succeeded against the odds. He was not supported by the political establishment of the Republican Party and, as he said, it was not just a political campaign, it was a political movement. He has given voice to an anti-establishment feeling among the majority of those who voted.

His victory also reflects people's antipathy to political correctness. Many people feel it is fake. They are suffering and politicians are being bogged down by political correctness. I agree and there is something to be learned from this. Against all these odds, he has succeeded in a democratic forum. We need to work with him and we need to get over ourselves, whatever other issues we have about what he does nor does not stand for.

These issues can be discussed in another forum. There is a great deal of trade between the US and Ireland. There are many US multinationals here, with many of them being the mainstay of employment in my own county of Mayo. I agree this result is similar to Brexit and we have to take a similar professional approach. Along with joining Senator Leyden in asking that we send our congratulations from this House, I would like the House to extend an invitation to Mr. Trump to address it at the earliest occasion he can do so. We must accept that there is a new order. We have to adapt and deal with that and we have to work with the President-elect.