Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said Europe is not “going to hell” and has denied that Ireland has “open borders” after US president Donald Trump’s address at the UN General Assembly.
During his speech, Mr Trump accused leaders, particularly in Europe, of “destroying” their countries by allowing “uncontrolled” immigration, saying: “Your countries are going to hell.”
Speaking to reporters in New York City afterwards, Mr Martin said there was “nothing surprising” in the US president’s address.
While Europe has “challenges like everybody else”, he described it as a “bastion of good-quality living” and one of the most lucrative single markets in the world.
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“So I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that perspective that Europe is going to hell. It’s not,” he said.
The US president told global leaders it is time to end the “failed experiment” of open borders, and uncontrolled immigration was “destroying” their countries.
The Taoiseach said he disagreed with Mr Trump’s views, adding that neither Europe nor Ireland has open borders.
“We control our borders,” Mr Martin said, though he acknowledged that procedures and processes in place for those who seek asylum in Ireland must be improved in terms of “firmness” and timelines.
Mr Martin also disputed the US president’s comments in which he described renewable energy as a “scam” and climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world”.
The Taoiseach said the approach taken by Europe and Ireland in response to climate change is science-based, adding that renewable energy has been “very impactful”.
He added Ireland must push for greater energy independence, saying renewables such as offshore wind, which he said will be a “game-changer” for Ireland, give the country the chance to do that.
Responding separately to Mr Trump’s comments in which he said recognising Palestine as a state would be a “reward” for Hamas, Mr Martin said recognition of the state of Palestine is a right, and “not a reward”.
Mr Martin separately added he found US health secretary Robert F Kennedy’s views on autism “concerning”, saying recent comments claiming there to be a link between paracetamol use during pregnancy and autism have “no evidence base”.
Regardless of Mr Trump’s views, Mr Martin said he respected the democratic choice of the American people in electing him, though acknowledged without the US on board with issues such as climate change, “it limits what can be achieved globally”.
“We have to work with president Trump, we have to work with other leaders with whom we have very significant, serious disagreements as well across the world,” he said.
