Traditional Taoiseach’s visit to Washington would be “reckless” if it goes ahead, says TD

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s potential trip Washington for the traditional meeting with the U.S. President would be “reckless” a TD has said.

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath is quoted in the Irish Independent as saying: “To plough ahead with the 2021 St Patrick’s Day White House trip is completely irresponsible as a global pandemic runs riot.”

Despite global travel restrictions being in place, Martin has yet to rule out travelling to the U.S. capital to meet Joe Biden and to hand over a bowl of shamrock, as is tradition on St. Patrick’s Day. However, he has previously said that the “virus could dictate” whether he makes the trip.

Earlier this week, tighter Covid-19 travel measures were introduced in Ireland, including a mandatory quarantine period for those who fail to produce a negative coronavirus test.

McGrath said that “it is essentially a case of do as I say, not as I do. The decision by the Taoiseach and his Government to proceed with a St Patrick’s Day trip, in the midst of this crisis, represents more of the misplaced approach.”

Last year, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressed the Irish public from Washington in the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day to announce that schools would be closed amid a tightening of Covid-19 measures.

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