Sinn Féin to protest Trump's visit to Ireland

Sinn Féin representatives will be a part of the protests against US President Donald Trump's visit to Ireland this weekend.

Trump will meet the Irish president Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin before flying to his golf course at Doonbeg in County Clare, where he will watch the Amgen Irish Open golf tournament.

Significant numbers of people are expected to protest against his visit, with opposition politicians saying the Irish government should not be rolling out the "red carpet".

Sinn Féin party leader Mary Lou McDonald said "correctly" there will be protests and said her party will form part of those demonstrations.

"I'm not surprised that there will be protests at this visit," she told media at her party's annual think-in.

"I think that is quite correct given the scale of the breaches of international law, given the genocide in Palestine, events in Gaza and on the West Bank, we are seeing settler violence at a rate that is literally unspeakable.

"The United States, and I say this with deep, deep regret and some anger, facilitates that, facilitates Israel in its onslaught against the Palestinian people.

"So quite correctly there will be a protest against some of that. I would be deeply shocked if there weren't and, yes, Sinn Féin will be there."

McDonald also put pressure on the Irish president, who was a strong voice in speaking out against the US before she was elected as president last year, to raise Gaza during her short meeting with Trump at Áras an Uachtaráin (Residence of the President).

"I would imagine and I would hope that given the opportunity, that she would raise the matter particularly in regards to Palestine and the United States ongoing facilitation and arming of Israel," McDonald said.

"I think given the opportunity I would hope that the President would raise that and I am saying that cognoscente of the fact that it will be a short encounter."

McDonald also said the taoiseach, who has a bilateral meeting with Trump, should "set out" the views of the Irish people on Gaza.

Ireland is one of the most pro-Palestinian countries in the European Union.

The UK on Tuesday announced sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing Israel's government of turning a blind eye to the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians by settlers.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the move marked the "beginning of a new approach" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which "not only calls out injustice and suffering but acts".

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded by accusing him of spreading an "outrageous lie" and announced counter-measures including shutting the UK's consulate in East Jerusalem.

"The taoiseach will have every opportunity again to set out the views and the position to set out the views and the position of the Irish State and the Irish people and I believe he must do so very, very clearly and very firmly," McDonald said.

Most Irish political parties are holding 'think-ins' this week ahead of the new Dáil (Irish parliament) term beginning next week.

They are attended by members of the parliamentary party and TDs (MPs) and senators use these events to discuss their policy priorities and strategies for the year ahead.