LABOUR YOUTH CONDEMNS ‘MUSLIM BAN’ OPERATING IN IRISH AIRPORTS
The Irish Government needs to act now to ensure that Donald Trump’s immigration ban is put to a halt at Irish airports, according to Labour Youth Chairperson Kevin Donoghue.
“Ireland already has a pretty disappointing record in supporting American foreign policy by letting U.S. warplanes refuel at Shannon airport. It seems now we should be expected to enforce constitutionally questionable and outright racist immigration policy for an ego tripping demagogue. The Government must take swift, and if necessary radical, action to stop this outrageous abuse of human dignity.”
Donoghue backed calls by Labour Party leader for An Taoiseach Enda Kenny to stay away from Washington on St. Patrick’s Day: “We should not be endorsing the kind of executive orders coming from the Oval office in the last two weeks; there should be integrity and respect in the way we do business. It is hard to see how we could do that and visit the White House in March.”
He was also critical of those who spoke about how it might damage business relationships with the U.S. “Firstly, I feel there is little risk to business relationships; the people who are making money with us today will want to make more of it tomorrow. As far as I am aware none of these deals were contingent on supporting racist immigration policies.”
“Furthermore, if people were to reconsider dealing with us because we stood up for people being persecuted by racist policies then we really need to ask about who we are doing business with in the first place.
“We are in week two of Trump’s presidency, capitulating to him now means letting the bully win. This is getting worse before it gets better but if we give this man an inch he will take a mile. Our Taoiseach and our government has a part to play in tackling this injustice and I hope they rise to the challenge.”