TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has said he will go ahead with a visit the White House on St Patrick's Day, despite his criticism of Donald Trump's controversial travel ban.
The Fine Gael leader faced intense questioning in the Dáil on Tuesday about the Republic's response to President Trump's banning order.
Mr Trump has stopped refugees from entering the US for 120 days, with an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and has ordered a 90-day prohibition on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Mr Kenny told the Dáil that Irish nationals who are also citizens of the seven countries can enter the US.
He said his government had secured "clarification" that the 5,000 people who hold such dual citizenship would not be turned away when they go through the Republic's two US customs and immigration pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports.
Mr Kenny has already announced a review of the pre-clearance arrangements in the wake of Mr Trump's executive order, but said his cabinet was "fully in favour" of retaining the service.
He told the Dáil he did not agree with Mr Trump's policy and would tell the US president of his concerns when he visits Washington for the annual St Patrick's Day festivities in March.
"The blanket ban on any country, bans on the basis of religion, are not morally acceptable and I disagree entirely with the policy that has been laid out," he said.
Mr Kenny said if anyone was denied entry to the US at Dublin or Shannon they would not be "deported" from Ireland and instead be processed under Irish immigration laws.
Meanwhile, British MPs will next month debate whether Mr Trump should make a state visit to the UK after a petition calling for the trip to be downgraded gained the support of more than 1.6 million people.
