MARY LOU MCDONALD has called on the Taoiseach to stand firm on Ireland’s views on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza during his White House visit next week.

Micheál Martin is already preparing for his approach to the White House visit, where he is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on 12 March for the annual St Patrick’s Day bilateral meeting.

The Taoiseach is facing calls to reiterate Ireland’s support for Ukraine and Palestine – while also attempting to mitigate the damage of potential tariffs.

Last month, Martin accused Sinn Féin of “engaging in politics” after the party indicated that they would not travel to the US for St Patrick’s Day “as a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza”.

McDonald however said that Martin should travel to Washington and urged him “not to equivocate” on the issue of Gaza.

Speaking in the Dáil today, the Sinn Féin leader asked Martin today if he would “express Ireland’s strong view that the US is catastrophically wrong on Gaza”.

Stating that the visit presents an opportunity to “address Ireland’s interests”, she added that the meeting presents Martin with an opportunity to speak honestly with Trump.

“You travel to the US at a time when an outrageous threat of mass expulsion from Gaza hangs over two million Palestinians,” McDonald told the Taoiseach.

Martin replied that the visit is “an extremely important one”, adding that he will “articulate our views” in relation to Ukraine and Gaza.

‘A two-way street’

As well as international conflicts, McDonald called for the Taoiseach to address the “real concerns” regarding the impact that US tariffs would have on the Irish economy.

“The message has to be that Ireland is a location of choice for American investment,” McDonald told Martin, adding that the economic situation between the two countries is “a two-way street”.

Martin explained that the fundamental reason for the trip is to celebrate the “historic links” between Ireland and the US.

He added that Ireland’s economic relationship to the US is very important.

“We’re an open, small economy, we’re pro-free trade, and I’ll be articulating that,” Martin told the Dáil.

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and eight ministers will all travel to the US for extensive high-level engagement, with Martin also set to visit Texas while in the states.

Ministers will be expected to emphasise the mutually beneficial Ireland-US economic relationship, valued at over one trillion Euro per annum.

According to recent polling, half of the Irish public are against the Taoiseach making any criticism of President Trump when he is face to face with him.

A Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll found that seven in 10 Irish people belive the Taoiseach is right to meet with Trump next week, with a majority thinking Sinn Féin is wrong to boycott the visit to the US.

Asked to choose the issue that the Taoiseach should prioritise with Trump behind closed doors, a majority (51%) said he should raise the threatened tariffs against EU countries, which could have serious unemployment, inflation and tax deficit implications for Ireland.

Far smaller numbers thought that Martin should mention Gaza (18%) or Ukraine (16%).