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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said that he hopes to visit Ireland this year while meeting Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office in the White House.
Describing Ireland as a “special place”, Trump referenced his golf resort at Doonbeg in Co Clare.
“I have a very warm spot for Doonbeg, I will tell you that. And, it’s just a great place,” he said.
The US leader made similar comments during last year’s sit down in Washington DC.
Before travelling to the White House the Taoiseach indicated that he and Trump would discuss future trade deals between the US and the UK and he would urge the president not to sign any deal that would undermine the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Speaking to reporters alongside Varadkar ahead of their private meeting, Trump said that he will stay out of the Brexit negotiations but hopes that the discussions work out.
He added that he’s surprised how badly the talks have gone and said that UK Prime Minister Theresa May has failed to follow his advice on how to handle the negotiations.
Speaking after the meeting Varadkar said he and Trump have “very different views” on whether Brexit is a good or bad thing.
“It was a real opportunity for me to set out Ireland’s position, particularly when it comes to protecting the Peace Process, the Good Friday agreement and avoiding a hard border,” the Taoiseach said.
He added that the pair also discussed immigration and Trump offered “strong support” for securing more visas for Irish people to work in the US and also backed aiding the plight of the undocumented Irish in America.
Breakfast
This morning Vice President Mike Pence hosted Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett for breakfast at his residence on the grounds of the US Naval Observatory in Washington.
Barrett, who is a doctor, is based in Chicago for work. He chatted about the city with Pence after the couple arrived at the residence.
The US vice president is a deeply conservative Christian and has been criticised for his views and his legislative record on LGBT rights.
Varadkar will return to the White House later this evening for the traditional shamrock ceremony.
TheJournal.ie’s Political Correspondent Christina Finn will be bringing you all the latest updates from Leo Varadkar’s visit to Washington DC this week, including his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Stay up-to-date by following @christinafinn8, @TJ_Politics and TheJournal.ie’s Facebook page.
With reporting by Ceimin Burke
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Read that as Meth lab at first
He’s had enough Meth by the look of him
He wouldn’t be the first politician to tell an untruth.
Ah hahahahaha
So now that he got his lab, he goes back to supporting the blueshirts?
Some socialist Halligan is.
@T Beckett is back:
John has to get re-elected, it just proves the independents are as bad, remember he got the lab he gets the glory
Forget about the rest of the hospitals in the country…. one trick politician .. groucho marx lookalike.
I doubt that any of the patients who benefit from this, will be very worried about who he looks like.
@Patrick j Brady:
I beg your pardon.
Mediterranean Playboy look.
Good description Alex. .
A mobile cath lab??? Is this a couple of polish plumbers in the back of a van?…
Build an actual one instead of paying huge money to a private company
Well done John.
Of course political considerations outside The Pale are an alien concept to some people but the Déise salutes you.
Alex
No they don’t for a half baked solution
@Alex Falcone: John is that you?
Well said Alex great his hard work has resulted in a 2nd Cath lab and well needed. Without him going on about it we wouldn’t have got it so well done John keep up the good work.
Didnt the report say another Catherine lab wasn’t needed . Didn’t the HSE , Simon Harris say one wasn’t needed. Now a mobile one is needed?
Cath lab
The report was flawed. It underestimated the population of the region and the government know it.
He knows we wont be.bought that easy. Not good enough.
I need to see the way this contract has been written, the exact wording & timeline
Super Mario is looking old…
Or one of the Harry Enfield scousers
Edna will give anything to stay in power.
Halligan sold his soul for a Lab ,always will be remembered as a turncoat
So it’s both secure and mobile at the same time, ideal.
It’s been bought in to address the waiting list.
The much bigger issue however is…..
The need to travel to Cork in an emergency when the Cath lab is not operating (after 5 pm on week days and no service AT ALL at weekends) has implications for patient outcomes.
It’s unbelievable to plan to have a journey time that’s on the limit of the recommended time limit (90 mins) for arrival at Cath lab in emergency heart attack scenarios.
That Waterford to Cork trip by road is not a journey someone should be advocating as best practice for someone whose had a heart attack.
Helicopter is needed but very expensive .
It needs to be remembered that Waterford is actually a city not some tiny Kilgarvan type village
He barks like a Wolfhound but has a bite of a Yorkie, he just keeps backing down & afraid to upset the apple cart!
He’s not a very honest man, Remember water.
Gombeen
They might consider making the current cath lab bigger first. They one they have is tiny…. You wouldn’t swing a cat in it
have your say