FORMER Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has publicly criticised the Irish government, accusing it of erecting “artificial barriers” to holding a border poll.
In a recent interview, Varadkar emphasised the need for the government to take proactive steps toward planning for a united Ireland, even in the absence of complete reconciliation across the island.
Speaking on the BBC’s Borderland podcast, Varadkar expressed disagreement with current Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s position that preparations should only proceed once there is “total reconciliation” between communities.
Varadkar argued that such a standard may be unattainable and shouldn’t delay the process indefinitely.
“There will always be people who are not reconciled for one reason or another, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pursue it,” he said.
“I don’t think we should put up an artificial barrier towards a border poll.”
Although Varadkar acknowledged that now may not be the right time to set a date for the poll, he insisted that groundwork and strategic planning should begin.
He stressed the importance of the Irish government leading this initiative and not treating Northern Ireland as a foreign issue.
“Northern Ireland is part of my country. It’s a different jurisdiction, but it’s not a foreign affair,” he said, suggesting the Minister for Foreign Affairs’ role could evolve into a more inclusive title, such as “Minister for Foreign Affairs and Shared Island”.
Speaking at the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) conference in Belfast earlier this month, Varadkar reminded attendees that both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil had once campaigned with a promise to make Irish unification an official objective.
He criticised the coalition for abandoning that pledge upon forming the current government, though he expressed hope it could still be fulfilled during their term, which is expected to run until 2029.
“There’s plenty of time between now and then to show that the commitments in those two manifestos were meaningful,” Varadkar said during a conversation with former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.
While acknowledging that progress has been slower than anticipated, Varadkar remains committed to the cause.
“The next step and the right step isn’t just setting an arbitrary date for a border vote,” he said.
“But we must start the conversation and the planning now.”