Opposition parties have split on Donald Trump’s election as US president elect, writes Political Correspondent, Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.
Some are describing the result as a “waking nightmare” and others offering carefully worded congratulations which pointedly failed to warmly welcoming the news.
While Labour, the Social Democrats and AAA-PBP lashed out at the highly divisive outcome and urged Taoiseach Enda Kenny to stand firm on his summer labeling Mr Trump as “racist”, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin took a more conciliatory position on what has taken place.
In a lengthy and highly critical statement, Labour leader Brendan Howlin said he went to bed on Tuesday night “feeling apprehensive and woke up to realise that a nightmare had become a reality”.
He said the fact “a man who has, at every opportunity, sought to demean and belittle whole swathes of his society has become leader of the largest free nation in the world” is a “sobering reality”.
“Over the last year and more, he sought out every possible fear and insecurity in the American people. And then he ruthlessly preyed upon them.
“He brought political discourse to a new and shameful low-point. And along the way, he picked almost every marginalised group and targeted them with hate-filled rhetoric.
“This is all the more tragic because the US gave the world the very idea of a Bill of Rights, and has long presented itself as the land of the free and the brave.
“We commemorated a century of our proud history during the course of this year. But, today, we have to wonder how much of our history we in the western world have managed to forget.
“Far-right forces, building on support from disaffected working class communities, are once more growing and targeting bile at vulnerable minorities. How quickly we forget,” he said.
Speaking in the Dáil, AAA-PBP TD Ruth Coppinger was equally critical, urging Taoiseach Enda Kenny to make good on his promise to rebuke Mr Trump for his racist and sexist views if he entered office.
The left-wing TD used her leaders questions time to again label Mr Trump “racist, misogynist and homophobic”.
She then said: “Rather than sending congratulations to Donald Trump, this Parliament and the people of this country would prefer if we expressed sympathy and support for every single person of colour, every immigrant, every LGBT person, every Muslim and, of course, every woman in America who is in danger of Donald Trump acting out some of his policies.
“He’s elected now, he’s not suddenly going to change,” she warned.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said while she and party colleague Roisin Shortall recognise “the free and democratic election” which has taken place, the fear is that “where social injustice and inequality are allowed to take root division and discontent follows”.
However, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin took a noticeably more conciliatory stance, with Ireland’s two largest opposition parties both failing to criticise the election result.
In a statement, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin – who noticeably did not raise the issue during leaders questions – said “I would like to congratulate” Mr Trump before reminding him of the fact his own president elect speech confirmed “he would move now to heal the wounds of the campaign and govern for all”.
While saying there is “no doubt some of the policy positions during his campaign are a cause for concern,” he limited the remarks to the re-negotiation of trade deals, Irish-based US firms and undocumented Irish in America – ignoring previous racism fears raised by Mr Martin.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams similarly said “the US has spoken” and congratulated Mr Trump, but stressed Hillary Clinton “has been a very good friend to Ireland” and that the undocumented Irish in America must be protected.
