Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Edmund Burke once said that the only way evil can prosper is for good men to do nothing. America has just elected a fascist and the best thing that good people in Ireland can do is to ring him up and ask him if it is okay to still bring the shamrock on St. Patrick's Day. I am embarrassed by the reaction of the Government to what has happened in America. I cannot believe the reaction from An Taoiseach and the Government. I do not use the word "fascist" lightly. What else would one call somebody who threatens to imprison his political opponents? What else would one call somebody who threatens not to allow people of a certain religious faith into his country? How would one describe somebody who was threatening to deport 10 million people? What would one say about somebody who says that the media, the judiciary, and the political system is rigged? He then wins an election and the best we can come up with is a phone call asking if it still okay to bring the shamrock. I am appalled that a female Member of this House went on social media to congratulate this man.

I refer the Cathaoirleach and the Leader to the statement from Angela Merkel:

Germany and America are connected by values of democracy, freedom, and respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political views. I offer the next President of the United States close co-operation on the basis of these values.

Can the Government not understand what is happening? We are at an ugly international crossroads. What is happening in Britain and across Europe is appalling. It has echoes of the 1930s. America, the most powerful country in the world, has just elected a fascist and the best a Government spokesperson can come out with is, "We have to talk about foreign direct investment and we have to be conscious of American investments in Ireland". There are 50,000 undocumented Irish in America who I am sure are fearful for their futures. When will we have the moral courage to speak in terms other than economic all the time and to realise what is happening? If the Taoiseach of this country cannot stand as an Irishman at the crossroads of the ugly venture that the international political system is facing into and call it for what it is, then we are doing nothing. I am absolutely frightened by what is happening to our world and what is happening in respect of our inability to stand up against it.

I congratulate Colm Eastwood of the SDLP who said he will not participate in the charade on St. Patrick's Day. It is a clear challenge to other political leaders in the country who may be more interested in their fund-raising capacity in America so as not to insult potential American donors and the dollars that could come into their political coffers here in Ireland. Will the Acting Leader invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to the House to ask him how we are supposed to deal with this monster who has just been elected President of America because none of us in years to come should look back on this period and say we did not do everything in our power to call this out for what it is?