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“Demographic factors, polling, even the most recent numbers showing that a very clear majority of younger people in Northern Ireland want there to be a new united Ireland.”
I think those of us who believe in it have a duty to make the case for it
He said Irish unity will not happen “by osmosis or by accident”, and said it is something that has to be “worked towards”.
Varadkar dismissed concerns of cost however, saying that he would “be willing to forgo two years of economic growth for the unification of my island”.
Northern Ireland ‘would not like’ Farage
During the interview, Varadkar made clear that he hoped Reform UK leader Nigel Farage did not become prime minister – though he conceded that it is possible that Farage will win the most seats in the next general election.
Varadkar said he believed the possibility of Farage as prime minister “would change the picture in terms of attitudes” towards independence in Scotland and unificiation in Northern Ireland.
He added that Irish unity would become “centre stage” if Farage took charge.
“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,” Varadkar told BBC’s The View.
He explained 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,” the former Fine Gael leader said.
He believes there are people in Northern Ireland “from both backgrounds, or both traditions, that have a liberal and European outlook”.
“If that’s the kind of government they had in London versus a government in Dublin that was very different, it might make them more likely to vote yes to unification,” he added.
With reporting from Press Association
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This lad is all talk. Trying to regain some kudos by talking about a United Ireland, when he done everything to stop any chance of it while a Politician.
@Kev Kerr: I have no idea about your tricolour comment but it’s a simple answer for me anyways. I am 100% for the principle of a United Ireland and believe the solutions to this is what should be worked on, instead of people only focusing on issues as a means to stop any chance of it. I believe the framework is in the GFA and it can only be implemented if the majority of people on this Island agrees to it.
Until that happens it’s all talk anyway.
@John Darker: 25% unionist population, for starters. Roughly 50% are also pretty ambivalent about it. It needs broad consent and buy-in to work properly, and I’m pretty sure that’s not the case now, and unlikely to be for quite some time
@Elliot Alderson: We are discussing Irish unification, what Ukraine has to do with that is beyond me …..”10 plus billions a year” , you’re not very clever are you?
@Paul O’Mahoney: it’s you who said the cost of doing the right thing should be an issue in reply to my comment. who’s so clever now.
Last time I saw it in article it was saying 8 billion, can’t remember if that was just for housing or all. If the saying it’s costing 8 billion you can be sure it’s much more than that.
You’re all over this article. It’s obvious your against a United Ireland.
@Elliot Alderson: You’ve been reading fairy tales. Link the thing you thought you read. Yes I am against it as it’s economic suicide and it will never work .
@Elliot Alderson:
“The cost of doing the right thing should never be an issue”
In relation to NI that has to be the most naive statement I have ever seen on here.
Sorry Elliot but the cost is going to be the deciding factor in any future vote.
You have your diehard nationalists on one side at about 40 to 45% , diehard unionists at roughly the same percentage on the other but the fastest growing demographic now is the non affiliated, up to 20% .
That is the group that will decide a referendum
And cost, to them as individuals and how they believe it will affect their future will almost certainly be decisive.
@Dave McFitz: would love to know what this devia nt was caught doing in USA, within 24 hours I’m going to lead my party in the next election to sianara fuc ke rs I’m offski,must be a real gem?
Given his no doubt generous pensions from his political career, the prospect of the country forgoing two years of economic growth would be rather unlikely to impact Leo in any material way…
Is this the same Leo that once said there were no Fine Gael offices “overseas” when asked why they hadn’t got offices in Northern Ireland?
He vehemently opposed a united Ireland while in office, thinking that it would be a win for Sinn Féin…
A united Ireland isn’t about a win for Sinn Féin, it’s about a win for our whole country, getting it back after 800 years…
To take a phrase from “Brave heart” if we can’t get them out, we’ll breed them out, which is exactly what’s happening right now..
A united Ireland in my lifetime would be a beautiful sight to see, prods welco, just leave that orange marching stuff behind
Whst a load of bollix. This guy is a quintessential me feiner. The reason for his abrupt decision to quit has never been explained. He had such a chance to make a real difference, but he invested it in pride flags and drag queens. All he’s missing is a man bag and a miniature dog.
I think the majority might disagree. The economic cost would bring us back to the 80s , taxes would grow like then too. If anyone thinks Im way off look at the reunification of Germany and West Germany was a global economic powerhouse then…..the main employer in NI is Westminster.
@Paul O’Mahoney: you’re talking nonsense, the re unification of Germany turned them into an industrial powerhouse, now that’s being obliterated by their collective Russophobia and higher energy bills, I lived in Berlin circa 1994 – 2006, it was a massive time for Germany rebuilding the former East, new infrastructure equals new money being generated, both through full employment and new factories coming online
@John Darker: The point you’ve evidently missed is that West Germany had the ability to absorb 1-2 trillion in reunification costs over many years. We would require an apple tax windfall at a minimum annually just to keep the lights on in the north.
@honey badger: the western German government absorbed nothing financially of the sort you claim, absolutely nothing, if a united Ireland was to come about, the resulting investments from outside of Ireland would dwarf the expenses incurred , stop talking bollocks
@John Darker: I enjoy the way you ignore that you’ve just been shown yoir previous comment was nonsense, and then continue to keep missing the point because West Germany had the ability to fund 2 trillion over the years of reunification. Where is our 20 billion x 20 years coming from? ” ya clown”
@honey badger: If there hadn’t been this investment, tech companies like ours wouldn’t even think about setting up in a region like this,” Mueller told “Marketplace.” But now that the company is settled in a low-cost district in the East, he expects it to take off “like a rocket.”
The German government is determined to use the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the wall to trumpet the achievements of reunification. It admits the Eastern states still lag behind the West, with lower wages and higher unemployment, and that some of the $2 trillion of public money may have been wasted.
But Christian Hirte, the government commissioner for the New Federal States, said Germany has pulled off a remarkable feat: absorbing and modernizing a huge, inefficient communist economy.
@John Darker: John a few minutes ago:
“the western German government absorbed nothing financially of the sort you claim, absolutely nothing”
Please tell me where we get 20 billion x 20 years?
@honey badger: It’s more likely even more. Ukrainian family after moving into house next door, 2 bran new cars. I own my house, we have 1 10 year old car that herself mostly uses and I have a 17 year old motorbike.
@Elliot Alderson: On what basis are you saying it likely even more? Your initial claim is laughable. You sound surprised that Ukrainians had normal lives/ jobs before being forced to leave because of Putins’ invasion. This act of solidarity will forever be to Irelands credit. I drove a banger for years as well. Like you, I own my own house now.
@honey badger: If they saying 8 billion you can be sure it’s more than that. Now you saying Ukrainians are kind of more deserving.
Do you not think the Irish had normal lives before we were colonised by the British ?
You’ll probably make up some other load of bs now.. don’t bother your muted like Pom.
@Ulick: No the problems we have get amplified causing more hardship. Im fine and will always be. Try and contribute to the debate and not try and just be a knobisticle
@Paul O’Mahoney: Your comparison to Germany is nonsensical in terms of costs. East Germany was an impoverished communist country.. bereft of infrastructure and industry. Its worthless currency and the associated costs of absorbing that were also a factor for the high price they paid. The North and South of this Island, their economies, infrastructure and industry are in no way comparable to Germany at the time of reunification.
@John Darker: I lived in Frankfort between 93-94.
The industrial I worked in electrical engineering. Boomed past unification.
But once the bills came in we and other companies lost a lot of money due to the east not paying up. It took years and a lot of cash to drag the east to a similar standard of west Germany.
Also my wife worker for neckerman (like Argus” they experienced redundancies in 93-4. People in the east brought on the credit and didn’t pay it back.
As for Russia i think we need to frightened of these lunatics.
Poisoning people in the UK with chemical warfare.
Supporting Syria and it’s dictator.
Locking up opposition and Murdering them.
Invading a independent nation.
Raping women.
Killing anyone who stands in there way.
Kidnapping young children and babies.
@Tom Mahon: only off the wall people want a United ireland. The border of the north is our only escape from the corporate dystopia of the Republic of Ireland
It’s our duty to end the nonsense of colonial days, and recognise that nationalism is toxic too, but the freedom of Ireland’s residents to determine their future, by debate, citizens assemblies and accountable government is the greatest social achievement.
@ProtectKyiv: what nationalists think their ideology is toxic? Reading the comments here, if you propose that view then you are a west Brit , are heartless and not truly Irish. This is the bs that nationalists will throw at you. Nationalism is over. Unless you look at strongly nationalist states such as Russia, US, Israel. Bastions of progress. So convinced of the righteousness of their nations that they want to absorb others into them (whether they like it or not). F…k nationalism. Let NI become an independent state. Get rid of nationalists and loyalists alike.
@Alan: Nationalism is populist poison…I want to vote for a society of progress in the most unloved science of all…people politics – including migrants from wherever who integrate {no nations within} enjoying, under law above all other, the rights and freedoms to live full lives, contribute positively to society, and bring the axe down resolutely on liars, tech-oligarchs, conmen Presidents (USA’s goof)…and willing to protect this place with military service if it’s attacked. (No conscription – but military service yes)
Bent over backwards for Europe and mass migration in government. Same person slagging people if they don’t get up early and annoyed shift workers across Ireland or social welfare to welch on neighbours and friends scams whilst being one of the biggest cheerleaders allowing scamigrants from Ukraine and other locations were encouraged to come into Ireland. He also stated in the past interviews he wanted a Federal European government on charge and never too Interested in Irish unity like all FG brigade are still west brits.
If we could take the land of Northern Ireland without the people it would be a good idea. The fact half of them are loyalists and the other half are Neo Marxists makes me never ever want anything to do with that failed state.
@Joe Willis:
So you want to do a Putin on them.!!
Take the land,and to heck with the inhabitants.
Most people up Nth.are happy, and would never agree to a takeover.,Most people in the Republic feel likewise.
Alright for you Leo on your guaranteed pension of 137k a year, and he’s not even close to 50, so you wouldn’t have to worry too much about an economic downturn. Also as the last week has shown us in NI, I wouldn’t be in any great hurry to be uniting with that lot!!
It’s to late for a united ireland maybe in the 60s or 70s when uk was giving countries back we should of push for it or push the EU not to give membership to uk until they return the NI to Ireland.
But now all people of NI have formed their own identity, culture and way life which is very different than the rest of Ireland including England.
Should be granted dual ownership between Ireland and England.
@Be Lucky: so are we not Irish enough for you ,I swear that the amount of west Brits in the 26 counties is growing .
You would think people in the north were from another planet.
@D Farrell: Mind the time some Irish men and women gave their actual lives for Ireland so people like you could live in a free, democratic Ireland? Imagine their faces if they’d been told 110 years ago that future generations wouldn’t want to attain a United Ireland cos they might have to pay a little more tax!! For what died the sons of Róisin, was it greed?!!
I’m sorry but you need to be serious Nord noranda is a black hole when it comes to what it generates in taxes how do you plant fix that within two years and also certain communities in Northern Ireland a police by themselves you just have to see the range shootings that happen if you don’t pay a bill or something how would would you propose that this be dealt with cause it currently isn’t being dealt with happen
@John R: Untrue actually, it’s been proven that the the north would contribute over 35 billion in 8 years but what would economists know against such experts as you and no research
@Brian D’Arcy: And cost 160bn, how would NI contribute 35bn ? Its industry is tourism essentially, with a few companies making armaments for UK and others.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Tell me where you’re getting this 160 billion bill from,
You must have a breakdown for such a claim…. surely ye must, wouldn’t want us believing you’re a liar now, would you?
He would sacrifice economic growth for a United Ireland?. He may as well state the obvious as a United Ireland would bankrupt the Republic. This tool is no longer in government but is intend on supporting his FG party in the destruction of our state.
@Sinead Cosgrave: this repr obate admitted that he was narci ssistic, he is one class act.he is on camera picking a major bogey out of his nasel passage while entering an event in Brussels and then immediately shaking hands with our Eu overlords, wouldn’t take a handshake of that can drinking kna ckered.
So how will RoI finance administrative integration, social equalisation, security, civil and defence, a national health service, education reforms, etc,etc., if our economy shrinks?
The former Taoiseach and ex TD, should resume his medical profession, and let the new generation deal with unity issues.
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