Senior Government leaders have congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election but the result has been described as “devastating” and a “disaster” by Labour leader Ivana Bacik.
Reacting to the result on social media, Taoiseach Simon Harris congratulated Mr Trump and said: “The people of the United States have spoken and Ireland will work to deepen and strengthen the historic and unbreakable bonds between our people and our nations in the years ahead.”
In a subsequent statement Mr Harris also said: “The world faces many challenges and needs leadership to meet them.
“With the US and Ireland’s shared commitment to democracy and international law, we can, and will, tackle these challenges.”
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin also congratulated the US president-elect.
In a statement he said: “We look forward to working with him and his new administration in a constructive manner, as we did during his previous administration.”
He noted the 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States and said the relationship “draws its strength from our deep, historical people-to-people connections, the support of the US to peace on this Island, as well as our significant, and mutually beneficial, economic relationship”.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, however, reacted to the result saying: “A Trump win spells disaster on so many fronts. For Ukraine, for Gaza, for Climate. For women’s rights, for migrant rights and for Europe. The US has made a choice – now the impact will be felt worldwide.”
On Monday, another senior Government leader, Roderic O’Gorman made similar remarks, saying Mr Trump’s re-election would be “a disaster for the US, Ireland and the planet”.
The Green Party leader pointed to remarks from Mr Trump during his campaign when he called climate change a “hoax” and “promised to scrap clean energy projects, incentives for electric cars and unleash a ‘drill, baby, drill’ wave of oil and gas projects”.
He said it was “vital that Donald Trump does not win this election”.
On Tuesday Mr Harris and Mr Martin said Ireland will work with whomever won the election as they stopped short of saying whether they agreed with Mr O’Gorman.
Mr Harris said: “While I have very strong views on the US presidential election, and very personal views as to what I’d like to see happen, I’m very conscious as Taoiseach of the country not to interfere in an election in another country.
“I wouldn’t appreciate if former president Trump or vice-president Harris started to tell people in Ireland who to vote for and I don’t think people in Ireland would appreciate that either so it’s entirely a matter for people in the United States today. I wish the candidates well.”
There has been a mixed reaction in Northern Ireland to the election result.
SDLP leader Claire Hanna said there is “serious concern” about what Mr Trump’s election will mean for the US.
“My thoughts today are largely with people in the United States who are fearful about what this might mean for their future,” she said.
“Donald Trump has repeatedly shown himself as someone with little respect for most people or the high office that he once again holds.
“It’s very disheartening that his divisive brand of politics has been so widely endorsed, but we acknowledge the clarity of the election outcome.
“There is serious concern about what this means for the United States, Gaza, Ukraine and indeed the world. In each, the most vulnerable will likely bear the brunt of the decisions the Trump administration will take.”
TUV leader Jim Allister said however that he believes Mr Trump had been the better candidate.
“It’s for the American people to make their choice and I do envy the fact that they are entitled to elect those who make their laws, unlike us in 300 areas where laws are made in a foreign parliament,” he said.
“Donald Trump was better than the alternative of Harris.
“On the issues which impact Northern Ireland, I trust that the historic premise of the United States – no taxation without representation – is something which could give him something to think about when it comes to us.
“As a man who respects borders, when he comes to deal with the United Kingdom I suspect he may be surprised we have a partitioning border down the middle of the UK and that may dissipate the inclination to do trade deals.” - additional reporting PA
