D Day commemorations delay Donald’s Doonbeg dinner

Guests attending a dinner with the US president Donald Trump in Doonbeg tonight have been told that the event will be delayed by at least 90 minutes due to scheduling issues.

A number of Irish officials are due to attend the dinner which will be held in the Trump International Golf Links Hotel on Thursday night and which is being hosted by the White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.

It is now understood that Irish representatives will raise issues with the J1 scheme during the event.

A “small number” of guests are due to attend the gathering which has now been delayed until at least 8pm, sources say.

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It was due to start at 6:30pm but D Day commemorations in France have run on later than anticipated. A number of guests were told of change of plans via text, it is understood.

The Irish officials who are due to attend include the Fianna Fáil senator Mark Daly and Fine Gael TD John Deasy who also serves as special envoy.

It is understood that Mr Daly plans to raise the issue of J1 visas with Mr Mulvaney, who he knew from his time in Congress.

The issue centres around the ability of students to secure a guarantee of employment during the early months of the year for the forthcoming summer, as establishments like restaurants are often closed in January.