Ministers express surprise at Donald Trump victory

Minister for Housing Simon Coveney has insisted Ireland has nothing to fear from a Donald Trump presidency.

Several Government Ministers have expressed surprise at the result of the US presidential election.

Mr Coveney said the election was the most divisive the country has ever endured but insisted comments made during the campaign may not be a reflection of Mr Trump in office.

“There is a difference sometimes between the nature of the campaign and how fractious they can become and the responsibility on a president once he or she is elected to run a country and develop and negotiate relationships with other countries,” he said.

“We need to move on from the divisive and fractious nature of that campaign and much of its commentary and listen to what Donald Trump has to say as a president.”

Mr Coveney said Mr Trump’s victory speech was an attempt at unifying people and reaching out to other parts of the world. He said Ireland does not have to like the decision that was made or agree with everything Mr Trump says.

However, the Minister for Housing said it had to accept the democratic result of the US people.

Ministers are insisting the focus should now move from who won the election to how Ireland can maintain relations with the US.

Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar said links between the two countries were on a human, political and economic level that went back decades.

Mr Varadkar said the Government is determined to work with the President-elect to ensure those relationships endure.

Asked if he was disappointed Democrat Hillary Clinton did not win, Mr Varadkar said that was democracy. "The American people voted and voted in big numbers and they have elected Donald Trump as president. We accept that and respect that."

Minister for Transport Shane Ross said he was surprised by the result and had believed Mrs Clinton would win.

Mr Ross said the Government “may not personally like” the outcome of the election, but it had to accept the view of the American people.

“A democratically elected politician is a democratically elected politician. That has to be recognised by other democratically elected governments.”