Tánaiste Simon Harris has said he “can’t see any scenario” in which Ireland could take part in US president Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
While Taoiseach Michéal Martin appeared to leave the door open on the issue yesterday, Mr Harris has now firmly closed it and said he is on the same page as the Fianna Fáil leader “in terms of the very significant red flags” of Mr Trump’s alternative to the United Nations.
“A board that President Putin has been invited to - I mean, there’s a complete oxymoron - Putin and Peace, first thing,” Mr Harris told reporters at Government Buildings today.
“Secondly, paying a billion dollars? We won’t be doing that. And thirdly, the idea that you’d end up setting up some form of structure that I think essentially competes with the United Nations or something - it is very hard to understand.”
Mr Harris raised concerns around the fact Mr Trump would get to “pick his successor and could decide wo has to leave the board”, adding: “Could you have a situation where somebody would raise a viewpoint and speak up for the values of their country and you’d be kicked off the board?”