Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says violence from loyalist terror gangs ‘would not arise' in united Ireland
Leo Varadkar drew a comparison to partition in 1921 which happened without a single vote being cast as he warned unity should not be an 'annexation of six more counties' but a new state 'that can be better for all of us'.
Speaking at St Mary's College in Belfast on Friday, the ex-premier called on the current Irish government to establish a forum to lead discussions on the issue as he appeared to downplay concerns of potential loyalist violence in reaction to any constitutional change.
'I know there are people south of the border who, when I talk to them about reunification, express to me concerns that there might be a very small minority within unionism who may turn to violence,' Mr Varadkar said.
'I don't think we should dismiss that as a possibility. I don't think it will happen, to be honest.
'In two referendums, both north and south, people would be very clearly giving their preference as to what should happen, it would be quite a different situation to when partition happened 100 years ago and it wasn't voted for.
'I don't think that would arise but I think it's a reasonable question.'
The 'In Conversation' event — hosted by Feile an Phobail and Ireland's Future — was chaired by Reverend Karen Sethuraman and attended by former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams.
Mr Varadkar, who is a vocal campaigner for unity discussed the conceivability of unity as he outlined how he believes it can be achieved insisting there must be a bill of rights, guarantees of civil protections and liberties.
'Just saying it as an aspiration isn't enough anymore, it should be an objective and an objective is something you act on,' he said.
'One of the ideas that I would put forward, which could help to move on this discussion, is the establishment of some sort of forum.'
The former Fine Gael leader, who stepped down last April, said he believes unity will happen in his lifetime but conceded 'I don't think it's inevitable'.
The staunch advocate for a border poll cautioned against thinking 'it'll just happen by osmosis' or by 'saying nothing'.
'I don't share that view,' Mr Varadkar said.
'There's nothing inevitable in politics or life.'
Mr Varadkar outlined his own concept of how unification may be achieved.
'An idea that I had was that you could put a preliminary question in principle,' he suggested.
''Do you want here to be a united Ireland' and then the next stage is constitutional convention. Perhaps one made up of the Assembly and Dail combined.
'Or perhaps one that's elected strictly for this purpose to draw up a constitution and a bill of rights for a united Ireland. And then people have a second vote, confirmatory vote, when they know all the details as to what it means and can go decide whether they want to go ahead or not.
'I think that maximises the chances of a positive vote in the first round and it also maximizes the chances of a greater participation.'
But Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly suggested Mr Varadkar was 'wrong in terms of the trajectory' towards a united Ireland, insisting the number of people voting for nationalist parties, around 40%, 'hasn't moved since 1998'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Farage hits back at former Irish leader's claim he would destroy the UK
Nigel Farage has dismissed claims by Leo Varadkar that he would destroy the UK if he becomes prime minister. The former Irish taoiseach predicted that the push for a united Ireland would take 'centre stage' if the Reform UK leader was to win a future general election. Mr Varadkar told BBC Northern Ireland that a Farage government would 'double down on Brexit', which would bolster Irish unity and Scottish independence. He said it was possible that England's 'volatile politics' could mean Mr Farage would become prime minister after elections in either four or nine years. Mr Farage hit back at the claims by Mr Varadkar, who was Ireland's prime minister during the Brexit negotiations, during which time he became a bogeyman for Brexiteers and unionists. 'I have heard all of this before,' said Mr Farage. 'They said that a vote for Brexit would end the Union. It didn't and nor will the Reform government.' Labour views Reform as its main rival in a future UK parliamentary election, which must take place by 2029, after the latter took hundreds of seats in local elections this year. Last week, a poll said that Mr Farage could win an outright majority and become prime minister if an election was held tomorrow. Mr Varadkar praised Sir Keir Starmer for his reset in relations with Dublin and Brussels since becoming Prime Minister. The former Fine Gael leader played a key role in agreeing the withdrawal agreement, which created the Irish Sea border between Britain and Northern Ireland 'Prime Minister Starmer might be re-elected for a second term. It's equally possible, not probable but possible, that Nigel Farage could be prime minister of the UK in four years' time, or in nine years' time,' he said. He added that Mr Farage and his supporters believed that Brexit 'had not been done properly' and would roll back the reset. 'What you'd see is an attempt to rescind many of the things that Prime Minister Starmer and his Government have done [and this would] bring the United Kingdom even further away from the European Union,' Mr Varadkar said. He added he hoped Mr Farage would not become prime minister but said it 'would change the picture in terms of attitudes towards independence in Scotland'. 'I think it would change the views of some people in the middle ground in Northern Ireland [towards Irish unity],' he added. 'It isn't just because a Right-wing nationalist government in London would want to bring the UK and Northern Ireland away from Europe. It is other things as well,' said Mr Varadkar. He added that Reform-run councils in England were 'preventing people from flying Pride or progress flags'. 'I don't think most people in Northern Ireland would like that,' he told the BBC. The Belfast or Good Friday Agreement states that the secretary of state for Northern Ireland must call a referendum if it 'appears likely' a majority wants a united Ireland. A border poll must also be held in the Republic. While polls show large support for reunification, they also consistently show a majority in favour of remaining part of the UK in Northern Ireland. Mr Varadkar has become an outspoken advocate for Irish unity since he resigned as taoiseach last year because of his low popularity ratings. His successor Simon Harris and coalition partner Micheál Martin, the leader of Fianna Fail, went on to overturn a commanding Sinn Fein lead in the polls to stay in power after elections last year.
South Wales Guardian
4 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
United Ireland should be new state that ‘can be better for all of us'- Varadkar
Leo Varadkar also said he hopes the current Irish government takes the decision to establish a forum to lead discussions on unity, and also appeared to dismiss concerns of potential loyalist violence in reaction to a united Ireland. Mr Varadkar, who stood down as taoiseach in April last year, said he believes he will see a united Ireland in his lifetime but warned it is not inevitable. He said that he has had no regrets so far since leaving elected politics, and is enjoying both 'a lot of personal and intellectual freedom to say what I think'. He was speaking at an In Conversation event with Rev Karen Sethuraman at St Mary's University college in west Belfast, hosted by Feile an Phobail and Ireland's Future. Former Sinn Fein president and West Belfast MP Gerry Adams was among those in the audience for the event. Mr Varadkar stressed that a united Ireland 'has to be a new Ireland that is better for everyone'. 'That includes a bill of rights, guarantees civil protections and liberties,' he said. 'Unification, in my view, is not the annexation of six more counties by the Republic of Ireland. It's a new state and one that can be better for all of us, an opportunity that only comes around every 100 years, which is to design your state and design your constitution.' In terms of what the current Irish Government is doing, Mr Varadkar described the Shared Island Unit, which was set up when he was Taoiseach, as really positive. But he said he would like to see the Irish Government lead a forum ahead of unity. 'Just saying it as an aspiration isn't enough anymore, it should be an objective and an objective is something you act on,' he said. 'One of the ideas that I would put forward, which could help to move on this discussion, is the establishment of some sort of forum.' He said there was the New Ireland Forum in the 1980s, and the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in the 1990s. 'I think there is a strong case now for us to convene the parties that are interested in talking about this, unions, business groups, civil society in a forum to have that discussion, but I don't see how that can happen if that isn't led by the Irish Government, and I hope at some point during the course of this five-year government, a decision will be taken to do that,' he said. Meanwhile, asked how he felt potential violent opposition to a united Ireland could be handled, Mr Varadkar suggested he felt 'only a very small minority may turn to violence'. 'I know there are people south of the border who, when I talk to them about reunification, express to me concerns that there might be a very small minority within unionism who may turn to violence,' he said. 'I don't think we should dismiss that as a possibility. I don't think it will happen, to be honest. 'In two referendums, both north and south, people would be very clearly giving their preference as to what should happen, it would be quite a different situation to when partition happened 100 years ago and it wasn't voted for. 'I don't think that would arise but I think it's a reasonable question.' Meanwhile, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly suggested Mr Varadkar was 'wrong in terms of the trajectory' towards a united Ireland, insisting the number of people voting for nationalist parties, around 40%, 'hasn't moved since 1998'. Mr Varadkar said he was in politics long enough to not respond to someone else's comments without hearing them in full, but said the case he is making is not just based on the percentage of people who vote for nationalist parties, adding it is clear the percentage voting for unionist parties has fallen. Earlier, Mr Varadkar visited nearby Colaiste Feirste where he heard about the growth in Irish medium education, and plans to build a new Irish Language Heritage and Interpretive Centre, An Spas Din. School principal Micheal Mac Giolla Ghunna said: 'We have grown a vibrant Irish language community from our base in the Gaeltacht Quarter, leading to challenges for us in terms of accommodation and teacher provision. 'But far from limiting our ambitions, we are now using the Sportlann facility and initiatives like our GaelStair heritage project to offer our pupils and the wider community further opportunities.'
North Wales Chronicle
4 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
United Ireland should be new state that ‘can be better for all of us'- Varadkar
Leo Varadkar also said he hopes the current Irish government takes the decision to establish a forum to lead discussions on unity, and also appeared to dismiss concerns of potential loyalist violence in reaction to a united Ireland. Mr Varadkar, who stood down as taoiseach in April last year, said he believes he will see a united Ireland in his lifetime but warned it is not inevitable. He said that he has had no regrets so far since leaving elected politics, and is enjoying both 'a lot of personal and intellectual freedom to say what I think'. He was speaking at an In Conversation event with Rev Karen Sethuraman at St Mary's University college in west Belfast, hosted by Feile an Phobail and Ireland's Future. Former Sinn Fein president and West Belfast MP Gerry Adams was among those in the audience for the event. Mr Varadkar stressed that a united Ireland 'has to be a new Ireland that is better for everyone'. 'That includes a bill of rights, guarantees civil protections and liberties,' he said. 'Unification, in my view, is not the annexation of six more counties by the Republic of Ireland. It's a new state and one that can be better for all of us, an opportunity that only comes around every 100 years, which is to design your state and design your constitution.' In terms of what the current Irish Government is doing, Mr Varadkar described the Shared Island Unit, which was set up when he was Taoiseach, as really positive. But he said he would like to see the Irish Government lead a forum ahead of unity. 'Just saying it as an aspiration isn't enough anymore, it should be an objective and an objective is something you act on,' he said. 'One of the ideas that I would put forward, which could help to move on this discussion, is the establishment of some sort of forum.' He said there was the New Ireland Forum in the 1980s, and the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in the 1990s. 'I think there is a strong case now for us to convene the parties that are interested in talking about this, unions, business groups, civil society in a forum to have that discussion, but I don't see how that can happen if that isn't led by the Irish Government, and I hope at some point during the course of this five-year government, a decision will be taken to do that,' he said. Meanwhile, asked how he felt potential violent opposition to a united Ireland could be handled, Mr Varadkar suggested he felt 'only a very small minority may turn to violence'. 'I know there are people south of the border who, when I talk to them about reunification, express to me concerns that there might be a very small minority within unionism who may turn to violence,' he said. 'I don't think we should dismiss that as a possibility. I don't think it will happen, to be honest. 'In two referendums, both north and south, people would be very clearly giving their preference as to what should happen, it would be quite a different situation to when partition happened 100 years ago and it wasn't voted for. 'I don't think that would arise but I think it's a reasonable question.' Meanwhile, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly suggested Mr Varadkar was 'wrong in terms of the trajectory' towards a united Ireland, insisting the number of people voting for nationalist parties, around 40%, 'hasn't moved since 1998'. Mr Varadkar said he was in politics long enough to not respond to someone else's comments without hearing them in full, but said the case he is making is not just based on the percentage of people who vote for nationalist parties, adding it is clear the percentage voting for unionist parties has fallen. Earlier, Mr Varadkar visited nearby Colaiste Feirste where he heard about the growth in Irish medium education, and plans to build a new Irish Language Heritage and Interpretive Centre, An Spas Din. School principal Micheal Mac Giolla Ghunna said: 'We have grown a vibrant Irish language community from our base in the Gaeltacht Quarter, leading to challenges for us in terms of accommodation and teacher provision. 'But far from limiting our ambitions, we are now using the Sportlann facility and initiatives like our GaelStair heritage project to offer our pupils and the wider community further opportunities.'
