Conor McGregor snaps back at Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin after White House rant

Conor McGregor escalated his verbal clash with Micheal Martin yesterday after a visit to the White House to meet Donald Trump.

Criticising the Taoiseach, the UFC fighter claimed that Dublin City Centre has gone from one of the safest cities in Europe to one of the most to one of the most dangerous in the last 10 years.

"Shame on him for saying that, speaking down on an Irishman," he vented to a Sky News reporter.

As he made an unexpected visit to the White House for a meeting with US President Donald Trump, McGregor pledged to highlight immigration concerns and initiated a biting critique of the Irish government from the White House Press Room. His remarks prompted replies from both Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris, reports the Irish Mirror.

Ahead of the White House encounter, McGregor expressed his intention: "I am here to raise the issues that the people of Ireland face. It will be music to the people of Ireland's ears because never on the main stage has the issues the people of Ireland face been spoken."

McGregor pulled no punches in accusing the Irish government of neglect, stating: "Our government has long since abandoned the voice of the people of Ireland, and it's high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty, our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability"

Diving deeper into domestic concerns, he added: "Our money is being spent on overseas issues which has nothing to do with the Irish people; the illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country.

"There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop and have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed, and the 40 million Irish-Americans need to hear this because if not, there will be no place to come home and visit."

The Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, swiftly retorted to McGregor.

He said: "St. Patrick's Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship. Conor McGregor's remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, or the views of the people of Ireland."

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Harris made his stance crystal clear: "Let me be very clear. Conor McGregor is not here in the United States representing Ireland or the people of Ireland. He's here in a personal capacity.

"He doesn't speak for Ireland. He doesn't speak for the people of Ireland. He has no mandate to do such, and my views on him are very clear, well established, previously articulated, long standing and on the public record."

Upon leaving the White House, when prompted to respond to Mr Martin's comments, McGregor didn't hold back.

"I am an employer of over 200 people, almost 300 people, in the country of Ireland. He is an employer of none. Every available metric available to us shows that the government of Ireland currently has failed the people of Ireland.

"In 10 years, Dublin City Centre has gone from one of the safest cities in Europe to one of the most to one of the most dangerous, so shame on him for saying that, speaking down on an Irishman."

Commenting further, McGregor refrained from personal attacks, stating, "I won't speak about him personally or throw a jab; I could throw many jabs at him, I could throw jobs handily at them; however, I speak on the metrics, and the metrics show they have failed the people of Ireland they do not represent the people of Ireland."

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