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THE MINISTER FOR Social Protection, Leo Varadkar says he foresees a united Ireland at some point in the future, however, he did not say when.
Speaking at the Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith commemoration in Glasnevin cemetery he said this would not be achieved ”through assimilation or the crude majoritarianism in a border poll”.
I share the vision of An Taoiseach that foresees a united Ireland at some point in the future, and I share his belief in how it should be achieved.
Varadkar said this must be achieved “through respect and consent”.
His statement today comes two months after Taoiseach Enda Kenny raised the possibility of a border poll as part of negotiations over the UK’s departure from the EU.
Since soundings of a united Ireland were voiced by those in Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, who have long called for a border poll, have pounced on the expediting of a poll and push for a united Ireland.
Perhaps a side swipe to some opposition parties, Varadkar said:
Often the people who speak loudest about republican values, are the least when it comes to honouring them.
Leadership
All eyes have been on the minister recently due to speculation of a leadership battle within the party as to who will step into Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s shoes when he decides his time is up.
With some in the media, tipping today’s speech as having elements of a “leadership speech”, any stage the minister takes to in the near future will increase speculation.
Today he drew comparisons between what future Collins and Griffith wanted for Ireland and how his party hopes to make it a reality.
He said Fine Gael followed Collins’ idea of taxation, that it should ”encourage rather than discourage industry”.
Pointing to some of his windfall tax system announcements of late, the minister said:
That is the same belief we have in Fine Gael today. That a functioning tax system should both encourage business and reward individuals as well as providing for those who need protection.
Recently, Varadkar has been making waves in his new portfolio, announcing plans such as a new welfare scheme for small loans for people, plans to raise dole payments for those that are newly unemployed on tax and social welfare, and one the raised the most eyebrows, giving Ireland’s local councillors two options to improve the terms under which they pay tax.
‘Taxation is not the solution to all’
Increasing general taxation is not the solution to all of our social and problems and infrastructural deficits and increasing it too much creates a problem in itself.
Varadkar said there was a need to “advance and expand the recovering economy so that more people are free to order their own life; they are free to achieve their ambitions and their dreams”.
“It is the role of the government to help make that happen,” he said”
It is a difficult challenge. But it is achievable if we recognise that we need sound economic policies to achieve better living conditions for all our citizens and that social justice and inclusion, in turn, help to build a stronger more sustainable economy.
There is one obstacle in Ireland’s way, according to Varadkar.
Brexit.
Brexit complicates matters considerably for this country, and we have to be prepared for a period of uncertainty before it is settled.
He said there are also implications for Northern Ireland.
The only way we will achieve real unity is by respecting the different traditions, identities and values on this island, not by trying to obliterate them.
It was easy for some to jump on the Brexit result, and use it to make a land-grab for Northern Ireland. And it was counterproductive.
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Jeasus I started to get worried there for a while.
This is the first Leo related article iv seen for SEVERAL hours now.
Was just about to report him missing.
Ha ha! Leo was actually away saving a cat up a tree off Kildare St.!!!
Erick won’t be impressed.
Respect and consent., something that has not been present on this island in over 400 years. The stronger culture will always prevail.
In the meantime, we have OO/KKK/UVF/UDA hate marches going through isolated villages up north where natives reside. “Our Orange feet marched your streets” they proudly proclaim on their t shirts. FG and Leo have no interest in a 32-county Ireland.
It’s all tactical for those who ride the gravy train, no scruples, only interested in feathering their own nest. Yet people are convinced into voting for these charlatans! Democracy as we know it is fundamentally flawed. Get told lies, believe them, give a geebag your number 1.
What is a united Ireland anyway? Like a United Kingdom or a United States? People need to cop on. As a nationalist, sovereignty involves no foreign soldiers on our soil.
We have roughly 875000 people above in the wee 6 who, to varying degrees, may not identify with the rest of us. We are getting there. Main is that people aren’t being shot or blown up every other day.
I find it ironic that after all those years of bloodshed this is how it all maybe resolved, due in the main to Brexit and coming in the year of the commemoration, I hope whatever way this goes it doesn’t stir up old hatred and bitterness and if the island is to be finally reunited we can go forward in peace and prosperity!
And what about the EU disintegrating? Netherlands is going, Italy will go, UK is trying and would make sense for us as well seeing that the UK is our biggest export. The entire thing needs ripping down and starting again as a single market without the politics.
“The entire thing needs ripping down and starting again as a single market without the politics.”
How would that work? You can’t have the equivalent of a single market without rules and regulations? How else do you agree them other than politics?
@SearchEagle: This is what we’d be up against if we ever had an in-out referendum. Fact-free discussion and absolute ignoring of evidence that goes against people’s gut feelings. I saw it every day in the papers in the UK, it was a disgrace.
Peace and Prosperity are fine words but this is the land of mendicantism, cronyism and shady deals don’t forget.
Varadkar can talk the talk, but wasn’t it Griffith and Collins who signed the Treaty for Ireland to remain within the British Empire. And wasn’t it that same Treaty which led to civil war in this state.
Words are fine Mr Varadkar, lets see you talk to Arlene Foster and come away with a flea in your ear….muppet!
Kate… let’s not descend into fantasy and delusion. A border poll held right would be lucky to find 20% in favour of a united Ireland. The majority community in the North do not want a United Ireland under any circumstances; not if it could be proven to be vastly economically advantageous; not if you promised each and every one o guaranteed lotto win. Large portion of the minority community don’t fancy it much either.
If you cannot understand the difference between an entity that creates limited sovereignty for its members over regulation, limits not extends the free market compared to the minimalistic framework required for a single market; then we truly do have comprehension problems, Search Eagle.
Henry
“A border poll held right would be lucky to find 20% in favour of a united Ireland”.
Where do you get this figure from? Surely not from the likes of UTV/RTE, Belfast Telegraph opinion polls of the last few years. These are hardly impartial voices on the issue to put it mildly.
The obvious point here surely is, if these supporters of partition are so certain of their position, then why not hold a poll to confirm the 20% figure.
Might I suggest that accusing opponents of the present partitionist status quo of descending into fantasy and delusion is a rather cheap cop out.
Padraig – that is a disgraceful comment….such pathetic small minded Irishness – “oh the UK have gone so we need to follow our masters cap in hand”….utterly pathetic!
Evidence please Henry! Otherwise this is just your opinion which is, of course, as (in)valid as anyone else’s
The reason for not calling it is that NI can’t manage to organise a budget without causing a political crisis, do you really think the Stormont structures are strong enough to withstand the sectarianism that a poll would invite?
Or do you not care if it ends up getting more people killed?
It will be sooner rather then later, politicians know that. Watch them position themselves in a way that makes it almost look like it was their idea.
“The day will dawn when all the people of Ireland will have the desire for freedom to show. It is then we’ll see the rising of the moon”
The moon will rise out of a cloud of bullshit…..
Maybe it’s just me,but a disproportionate amount of articles seem to be,pro varadker,pro halawi,pro panti bliss,pro repeal the eight,anti trump,
*Varadkar, *Halawa, *Eighth. Please capitalise proper nouns.
Ha ha,is that the best you can come up with,
But, Anti-Trump is a noble issue………………..
All articles concerning USA election seem to be anti Trump.Are there no pro Clinton stories,
anti Hillary is also a noble issue……..
“Since soundings of a united Ireland were voiced by those in Fine Gael, Sinn Féin have pounced on the expediting a border poll and push for a united Ireland.”
First off the Shinners have been calling for a border poll for years so they hardly “pounced” all of a sudden.
Secondly when Gerry Adams came out and called for a Border poll a day after the Brexit result, Enda and the rest of the Quisling Party scoffed at him only for Enda to turn around a few weeks later and announce his intention to seek a Border poll as if he was the only one who had ever thought of it!
Lets face it if we are to wait to get a United Ireland under the Fine Gael “What’s in it for me” Party it isn’t a border poll that they will listen to, it will me what the Queen of England and Angela Merkel tells them they can do.
Who would pay a united Ireland? NI costs the UK, £1 billion a month, net – and we have a National Debt of over €200 billion!
Is there any crowd that this man will not say what some of them want to hear.If Leo was a lollipop he would lick himself.
So you’re worried your tax might go up if we reunited the country ? We could have done with more like you 100 years ago.
They’d want the EU to step in and fund NI, something they may be willing to do if it gets up the nose of the brexiters in the UK.
He is simply all things to all men and women .
There would be a party in every UK town – if they could get rid of NI ! Lived there (London) for years – their only interest in NI is the financial burden. ZERO interest about here.
I agree. The UK doesn’t actually want NI. It has been nothing but a noose around their necks financial and otherwise. it’s a basket case. But there’s a fair chance the EU would step in and fund it, and more importantly, develop it and although I’m not a fan of a untied Ireland at this juncture at least, too soon imo, the option should be explored in Europe.
@Dotrice ..well said ..I lived in the Midlands of the UK and they have no interest in NI ..it’s a kip of inbred..bigoted…people who’s attitude far out their importance in the great scheme of things.All I see in their grey little world is problems and a sponge to suck money from who ever gets stuck with them.
The funny thing is that Unionists claim to be “British” but if they go anywhere in the UK they are seen as Irish!
Are you calling Leo a Selfie Brown-Noser……………….
Leo and FG ruined and continue to ruin the country in the name of Europe.. Soundbites from an upcoming party leadership and an oncoming election from a snake are all the obvious….
Lets not forget FF/greens/PD,s roll too!
So many seem to forget what this lot did
Could that be the O’Dea Willy?
A united Korea would be easier to manage
This nonsense needs to stop. We need a million loyalist born again presbyterians in this country like we need a hole in the head. We’d need to at least double the USC to pay for it. Sure the shinners don’t mind that, they’re either on welfare or paying next to no tax anyway.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/united-irish-economy-could-deliver-boost-of-36bn-388959.html
United Irish economy could deliver boost of €36bn.
David McWilliams also brings up some very good analysis http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2016/05/16/daily-note-a-nation-once-again-dont-write-it-off
“If we go back to 1920, 80 per cent of the industrial output of the entire island of Ireland came from the three counties centred on Belfast. This was where all Irish industry was. ”
If the big multi nationals thought that the shooting and bombing was over they could well be tempted to flock into the 6 counties. With a workforce that is well versed in UK trade and law not to mention a stones throw from Scotland and it’s transport links plus generous EU Reunification monies like were handed out to Germany the naysayers might well be surprised by the economic turnaround.
Also, SF taking lage doses Our Gracious Queen’s shillings. At least the Stickies had the patriotism to mint their own money…………
Brian, that McWilliams article you quote also mentions that now in 2016, the industrial output of the Republic is ten times that of the North! The North had it’s heyday when shipbuilding and metal bashing were all the rage, now their economy is a complete basket case of dying industries and public sector.
The study claiming of a “boost” to the Irish economy after unification conveniently leaves out the £10 billion per year subsidy from the UK taxpayer, thus rendering it meaningless.
Fred, East Germany was a basket case before unification and look at it now. The EU threw money at it so why wouldn’t they do the same for us. People who think only of the here and now will stay stuck in a rut whereas people who look toward the future will be those who will drive our country forward.
“look at it now” – its still a basket case! Berlin is one of the poorest cities in Western Europe. Still, 25 years later. East Germany is being depopulated as everyone is moving to the West to look for jobs.
The West German taxpayer had to stump up €2.5 trillion and counting for unification, and its like throwing money down the toilet as it all goes on welfare payments. If you want a united Ireland, i would never mention the German example if i were you. You’ll get zero votes for that, once its fully explained what happened.
You really don’t get how the NI economy lives on the British taxpayer to a level the Republic could never sustain.
We’re not even United down here. Some chance.
A united Irelands ruled by unelected eurorats in Brussels. Is that the future Leo dreams off if so it already exists. while he leads a party only to happy to send taxpayers money to Europe instead of providing services at home. The Irish Constitution means nothing when European laws rule our country. our dail and seanad are nothing more than rubber stamping budgets sent over from Germany. we have no currency, sold our resources in fire sales and indebted four future generations to pay for the corruptions of present day politics. the banker are still robbing both savers and loan holders while the regulators refuse to do anything. we already have a united Ireland controlled by Brussels where we are second class citizens paying to keeps German and French banks afloat. big words from tiny politicians to make media sound bites. its funny what goes through politicians minds.
“sold our resources in fire sales”
Which resources?
Maybe a remote chance in 30-40 years. It will be the next generation in NI who decide.
Just tried to comment on the article about pat hickeys opinion on sports bosses, “Comments have been disabled due to legal reasons.” what legal reasons? where people talking too much sense? sure they make so much taking turns ripping us off why not do it in sports aswel! this country is ridiculous.
What happens if at some stage in the near future,the majority of the people here get fed up with the interference and corruption of the EU ,and like England, get a majority vote to EXIT???
Our political masters will never let that happen. Think of all of those lucrative EU posts on the EU Gravy Train that would disappear. Dear God the poor politicians would be destitute and forced to live in just one home!
I think that Padraig Flynn said it best on the Late Late Show some years back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ORNfD8e_sk
Then we may well have a referendum and it may well deliver a verdict as stupid as the one England’s electorate did. They’re going to have some fun trying to deliver on the four-sided triangle they voted for.
Strange how we can’t comment on establishment figure Pat Hickey but when Slab Murphy was arrested it was a free for all here, before and during the trial.
That’s the agenda from the Journal for ya. Same with the article on the Irish Travellers yesterday that saw the comment section closed after about 40 comments http://www.thejournal.ie/travellers-in-germany-2939159-Aug2016/
It is now whittled down to 9 by the article writer and censor Darragh Peter Murphy. He obviously didn’t like the negative comments on the article and certainly didn’t like me highlighting the scam that they are up to in Cork at the moment even though it got massive airtime on local radio.
The Journal was once a good site for journalism and news but now it’s got spineless bloggers calling themselves journalists who would be the first to moan about freedom of speech but don’t allow it on their own articles.
If I had to be less vague than Varadkar, I’d say by 2116 a United Ireland will be even closer.
Anyone else smell an election in the wind???
united ireland. will be totally rejected in any refernedum. although it will happen generations from now
I don’t Leo. Would be madness.
I wonder, if Ireland were to be reunified in the morning, would all members of the IRA cease engaging in all those criminal activities that they engage in in the name of the ‘struggle’, and become law-abiding taxpayers.
Why id it just the IRA that you are worried about and don’t even mention the Loyalist paramilitaries that are up to their neck in criminality even more so than the ‘RA. When yer man got shot last week there was hardly a peep out of politicians on all sides and certainly no response like when the ex-Provo got shot last year. It just goes to show how one sided a view Unionists and their fellow travellers in FG see NI politics.
The fact is that when the Provos stood down there were a few that continued on a criminal path but they would have done that anyway whether they had a cause to hide behind or not. While the border is in place there will always be smuggling. If there was a United Ireland in the morning then the need for any type of a paramilitary organisation on the Republican side would cease which would leave anyone pursuing a criminal career out in the cold.
the same can not be said for Loyalists in the UDA/UVF/UFF seeing as they have no cause per se seeing as they have “their” security forces to fight their corner. It is recognised by academics and indeed the British Army that the Provos in their day were “a professional, dedicated, highly skilled and resilient force”, while loyalist paramilitaries and other republican groups are described as “little more than a collection of gangsters”. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6276416.stm
The biggest challenge that we would have in a United Ireland is that we would have that shower as part of our country but Leo and the rest of the Unionist/FG community only see danger from their mortal enemies in the Republican camp and not from their buddies in Loyalism.
The fact that the Provos stood down that was very nice of them seeing they had no mandate to carry out their terror campaign In 1994 they had little support left it was not out of the goodness of their hearts that they stood down What is the justification for Enniskillen bomb it was murder just like bloody Sunday
Would you have preferred that they didn’t stand down and kept on going? If they had very little support then how is it that they kept going for over 40 years? If they still have very little support as you say they why the big ruckus last year when the FGer’s whipped up a frenzy about the murder of the Provo in the North? You’d swear that the country was going to be over run if you were reading the Irish Indo where one idiot claimed that they were in every level of society and he practically claimed that there was going to be a coup!
The reason that they stood down was mainly 2 fold.
1. they had fought the Brits to a stalemate with neither side being able to claim a military victory.
2. A large proportion of it’s core members had or were getting older and they occupied the more senior positions in the group. They decided that perhaps it was worth a shot going down the political path as they were getting war weary.
In terms of timing it was probably fortunate that they did follow this path seeing as if a new generation had joined up it could have lead to a new burst of violence using new methods and tactics that would have made the previous 40 years look tame in comparison. There weren’t too many chemists, engineers and IT savvy Volunteers in 1970 compared to today and with the advent of the Internet it would be a lot easier not only to spread propaganda and reach out to new recruits but also to research and refine new weapons and tactics as well.
Ask Slab. Or the jerry-builder man.
The game was up for the provisional IRA in 1994 volunteers were were being ambushed and the army council had been infiltrated Enniskillen was difficult to explain to their supporters Pity they did not stand down in 1974 with the Sunningdale agreement and instead along with the DUP keep the conflict going
it was the unionists and Loyalist Workers Strike that blew the Sunningdale Agreement out of the water – not PIRA
Not a chance.
FÖÖK OFF you dumb as a plank of wood #varadkar, nobody cares about ya!
So you want another six counties that you can rob and screw up? D head
Dear Leo. Don’t really care. All I want is my tax dollars back.
Derp derp give me money derp
You have no clue as to the extortion that the middle and upper middle class in this country are subjected to. You have your reasons. Derp derp. Guess you just don’t know.
I think we are all united in our hopes that Leo someday finds a way not to express every single stupid thought he has in his head. We’ll have a United Ireland before that happens.
Just not in my lifetime please. We cant run the Ireland we have anywhere but off a cliff. Can’t see it going any better with them uns in tow.
Leo Opening the door to a possible Fine Tory/Sinn Fein coalition sometime in the future.
Interesting tactic.
Sinn Tory already work for the Tories. Should be an easy transition for them.
I would love him to be Toiaseach. Max 1 year after Kenny, Election and FG lose another 26 seats.
the problem with FG leadership battles is that although thy have only 40k members on the payroll – we all pay for the their bribery and stupid decisions. Evidence Phil Hogan and multi-billion IW debacle. Thought in fairness to him he had a bit of bottle about him unlike most of the new crew.
Leo, talking about taxation is not the solution to all, talking about people achieving their ambitions and dreams, but in reality, his party has done nothing but only risen taxes and crippled people financially, and this eejit says there’s only one obstacle in the way, Brexit!
Nothings never the politicians fault, apparently!
Ya right ,just like the foresight he had for the health services
Census after census shows a rapid rise in the number of the former second class citizens so the day is fast approaching that the artificial majority will need to encage in some serious arse licking to prevent
unification.
Bring it on.
A united Ireland where we are all equal, our political class could do with some of the boyos from up there in Europe, fighting Our corner. The north needs some of the softness of the south and the south need some of the hardness of the north as a fella said. Bring it on for the betterment of the entire island and let’s move forward into the future together, as what we are, the one.
Ew.
If you want to unite Ireland Leo. Build family homes for the next generation.All those young people out there today have a right to have a home and raise a family.Theres more important issues here today than this United Ireland stuff.Yes by all means I would love to see it but having our own houses I order is first priority. All these Ministers get very patriotic when commemorations come up.
Hopefully not
Leo got tickets from Pat. Pat starts them young and tickets are his currency.
1. So Collins was Fine Geal line is pushed again. He wasn’t FF.
2. Leo doesn’t say anything concrete – a spoofer in the order of Bertie
Would he ever just go away!
I see us making contact with extraterrestrials in the future.
What about the present…
A united Ireland without crude majoritisation of a border poll? So he doesnt agree with the Good Friday Agreement?bet he doesnt ..
If I was a betting woman,I would say this chap is going to be running for tioseach in a few years, talk about trying to get away from all his bad press…sickening..
Encountered two people from different parts of England one didn’t realise Ireland wasn’t part of the UK and both didn’t care about the North. Still can’t see the North wanting to be run by Dublin.
Leo the ballbag …no thanks to fine gael…..blueshirt dirt ……garreth fitzgeard more tory than thatcher ……west brits
Fu@k off Leo!!
why would they want to be part of the south, higher tax insurance, car prices, hospitals rubbish currupt governments who serve interests instead of the people and never resign oh yeah there really going to vote for that
I wish he would respect and seek consent from his own people before making decisions.
A United Ireland in an EU superstate. No thanks.
I too look forward to a united Ireland, at some time in the future, & for the sake of the northerners, a long time into the future, when our pseudo patriots are history, & our pathetic current crop of politicians have gone off the pitch.
If there was a referendum in my lifetime, In conscience, I would have to vote “nil”, unless the new state was governed from Stormont, by a 50/50 assembly of Irish/British citizens, 50/50 male/female, under a tricolour with a royal crest in the corner, with a non militarist anthem, a national public holiday on the twalfth, an NHS, a Swiss neutrality & military structure, a Seanad 100% elected by universal suffrage & from panels nominated by ALL the different social, cultural, religious, sports, educational, trade unions, lodges, business, & any other elements in the new society.
Others can complete the specification for a new order, but there’s enough there to render it very probably distantly futuristic .
Or, maybe not?
Ireland will have to go through a lot of (rap before that happens?
If Russia invade “Yes”
Is that a nuetral United Ireland he, s on about there?
Where do they get these fellas?
Lip service. “some time in the future”???
You are full of shite leo
I have seen it coming since Michael Collins came home with the news maybe I should have been a Politician.
Any chance of “forseeing’ next weeks lotto for me please ??
Does Quisling Varadkar even know what republican values are?
Making a mockery of Michael Collins’ memorial!
have your say