Conor McGregor uses White House visit to hit out at Irish government over immigration
Conor McGregor used a visit to the White House on Monday to air grievances over immigration in Ireland, pleading for help from the US.
The former two-weight UFC champion, who was visiting the White House on St Patrick's Day, has been increasingly vocal about what he deems political issues in Ireland in recent years.
'I'm here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face,' said the 36-year-old on Monday (17 March). 'It'll be music to the people of Ireland's ears, because never on the main stage have [these issues] been spoken.
'Our government has long since abandoned the voices 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.
'Our money is being spent on overseas issues that have 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, that have become a minority in one swoop.
'So, issues need to be addressed, and the 40m Irish-Americans need to hear this, because if not, there will be no place to come home and visit.'
Last week, US President Donald Trump called McGregor 'great', naming the fighter as his favourite Irish person. In January, McGregor attended Trump's inauguration.
McGregor, who has not fought since suffering a broken leg in a 2021 defeat, also said on Monday: 'Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling. So, it's important for Ireland to be a peaceful, happy, prosperous country – for the 40m Irish-Americans to have a place to visit, to come back to their home.
'So, we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue, and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro; the US should look after its little bro. That's how we feel.'
In November 2023, McGregor was accused of stoking tension in Dublin as the city suffered from riots, in the wake of an attack on a group of children by a reportedly Irish-Algerian man. The stabbing left a five-year-old girl seriously injured and led to violent protests in the Irish capital.
McGregor criticised the government's reaction to the attack, having already been vocal after the sentencing of a Slovak man, who was jailed for life over the murder of a 23-year-old Irish woman. At the time, McGregor said: 'I do not condone last night's riots [...] I do understand frustrations, however, and I do understand a move must be made to ensure the change we need is ushered in.'
McGregor was again in the news in November 2024, when a civil-court jury found he had raped a woman in Dublin in 2018. McGregor, who denied a claim that he 'brutally raped and battered' the woman, said he would appeal the verdict, which required him to pay over £200,000 in damages.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Supreme Court just gave DOGE access to Social Security data. Here's what personal information is at stake.
The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Department of Government Efficiency access to Social Security Administration data that includes sensitive personal information of millions of Americans. The decision comes as the federal government sought a stay, or temporary suspension, after a federal judge blocked DOGE's access to that data in April. The nation's highest court granted an emergency application from the Trump administration to lift that injunction; the case is expected to proceed in lower courts. In its decision, the Supreme Court concluded the Social Security Administration may give DOGE access to agency records while the case plays out 'in order for those members to do their work.' Both the White House and the Social Security Administration called the Supreme Court decision a victory. In a statement, White House spokesperson Elizabeth Huston said it will allow the Trump administration to 'carry out commonsense efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse and modernize government information systems.' Likewise, Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano in a statement said the agency 'will continue driving forward modernization efforts, streamlining government systems, and ensuring improved service and outcomes for our beneficiaries.' Yet others expressed grave concern in reaction to the decision, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, advocacy groups and plaintiffs in the case against DOGE and the Social Security Administration. 'This is a sad day for our democracy and a scary day for millions of people,' said the coalition of plaintiffs including American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the American Federation of Teachers; and the Alliance for Retired Americans, who are represented by Democracy Forward. 'This ruling will enable President Trump and DOGE's affiliates to steal Americans' private and personal data,' they said, while vowing to 'use every legal tool at our disposal' to prevent the misuse of public data as the case moves forward. Millions of Americans' sensitive data at stake The dispute focuses on how much access DOGE should have to Americans' personal data. The plaintiffs filed an initial complaint in early March, stating the Social Security Administration had 'abandoned its commitment to maintaining the privacy' of the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans under DOGE's influence. The Social Security Administration collects and stores some of the 'most sensitive' personally identifiable information of millions of Americans, ranging from seniors to adults to children, the complaint notes. When applying for a Social Security number, the agency requires the disclosure of place and date of birth, citizenship, ethnicity, race, sex, phone number and mailing address. It also requires parents' names and Social Security numbers. But the agency is also privy to other personal data, including personal health information, the complaint notes. That includes: driver's license and identification information bank and credit cards birth and marriage certificates pension information home and work addresses school records immigration and naturalization records family court records employment and employer records psychological and psychiatric health records hospitalization records addiction treatment records records for HIV/AIDS tests The Social Security Administration also collects tax information, including total earnings, Social Security and Medicare wages and annual employee withholdings. DOGE has not only accessed the agency's sensitive and protected information; it has also publicly shared it, according to the complaint. The actions of the defendants, including the Social Security Administration, DOGE and leaders including former head Elon Musk, have deprived Americans of privacy protections guaranteed by federal law and made their personal information vulnerable, the complaint alleges. In her dissent, Jackson, joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, notes that records show 'DOGE received far broader data access' than the Social Security Administration usually allows in fraud, waste and abuse investigations. Typically, those investigations start with high level, anonymized data, with more access to more detailed information only granted as necessary. Justice Elena Kagan also dissented in the 6-3 decision. 'The government wants to give DOGE unfettered access to this personal, non-anonymized information right now – before the courts have time to assess whether DOGE's access is lawful,' Justice Jackson wrote. While litigation is pending, the government has asked to temporarily suspend the lower court's temporary limitations on DOGE's access to Social Security data, she noted. 'But the government fails to substantiate its stay request by showing that it or the public will suffer irreparable harm absent the court's intervention,' Justice Jackson wrote.
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
TikTok creating more than 500 new British jobs as UK users top 30 million
The Chinese-owned social media firm said its UK workforce would expand to 3,000 this year as part of its 'deep commitment' to the UK. It will also open a new 135,000sq ft office in London's Barbican, which is set to open early next year. The group already has its UK headquarters in Farringdon, London, which were opened in 2022. TikTok unveiled the plans as it said it now has more than 30 million regular users in the UK each month, which makes the market is biggest user community in Europe. Adam Presser, director of TikTok UK and global head of operations and trust and safety, said: 'Whether through direct investment in jobs and innovation, or the wider economic contribution from millions of British businesses on TikTok, we're pleased to be increasing our investment and presence here in the UK, an important hub for TikTok.' But it comes after Cabinet minister Pete Kyle signalled he was looking at measures to restrict the amount of time children spend on their phones, including through a possible 10pm curfew. Mr Kyle was asked on Sunday morning whether he would look at limiting the time children spend on social media to two hours per app after the Sunday People and Mirror reported the measure was being considered by ministers. The Online Safety Act has passed into law, and from this year will require tech platforms to follow new Ofcom-issued codes of practice to keep users safe online, particularly children. Hefty fines and site blockages are among the penalties for those caught breaking the rules, but many critics have argued the approach gives tech firms too much scope to regulate themselves. TikTok's Mr Presser said that, as well as its UK expansion plans, the group also invests 'significantly' in safety. He said: 'What underpins our continued growth is our deep commitment to safety and to creating an enjoyable and secure digital space to sustainably support creators, entrepreneurs and the wider economy, which is why we also invest significantly in safety.' TikTok first launched its UK operations in 2018 and is financially incorporated in Britain. The group was fined 530 million euro (£446 million) by the Irish data protection watchdog last month for breaching EU privacy rules around transferring user data to China. The video-sharing app was also sanctioned for not being transparent with users about where personal data was being sent and ordered the platform to comply with data protection rules within six months. TikTok said it would appeal against the decision. The social media giant, which is owned by China-based ByteDance, has been under scrutiny from regulators around the world over how it handles personal data, and is also facing a ban in the United States over its China links, which the US government has said is a national security issue.
Libya Herald
4 hours ago
- Libya Herald
Algeria seeks to facilitate the flow of Algerian goods and services to the Libyan market
Algerian media reported that Foreign Trade and Export Promotion Minister Kamal Rezig chaired a coordination meeting last Wednesday (4 June) with a number of economic operators active in the field of exports to the Libyan market. The meeting was devoted to discussing ways to facilitate the flow of Algerian goods and services to this market, according to a Ministry statement. The Libyan market is deemed one of the most promising markets for Algerian products and services. This meeting is part of a series of consultations between the ministry and various economic actors, in the presence of the Governor of the Bank of Algeria, the Commissioner-General of the Association of Banks and Financial Institutions, the Vice-President of the Algerian Economic Renewal Council, as well as officials from the ministry. During the meeting, Minister Rezig affirmed his commitment to helping ensure the flow of Algerian exports, by supporting logistical aspects, improving the regulatory framework, and strengthening coordination with banking and financial authorities to secure commercial transactions. Promotion of exports outside the hydrocarbon sector The minister stressed that these efforts fall within the framework of the implementation of the strategy to promote exports outside the hydrocarbon sector, in implementation of the directives of the Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who he said attaches great importance to activating the economic partnership between Algeria and neighbouring countries. The minister also highlighted that the Libyan market is a natural extension of Algerian exports, and provides promising opportunities not only for the marketing of products, but also for the establishment of lasting and solid economic partnerships. During the meeting, Algerian exporters expressed their concerns and reviewed the obstacles they face on the ground, with the aim of reaching practical solutions in coordination with various sectors, especially financial and banking.
