Leo Varadkar has stated that while a Sinn Féin-led administration south of the border would be “extremely risky,” the party’s influence at Stormont’s institutions is restricted, reports Breaking News.
The Taoiseach praised the restoration of powersharing in Northern Ireland while discussing his concerns that a Sinn Féin administration would “make Ireland broke again.”
According to Mr Varadkar, his “abiding memory” from the trip was witnessing the “powerful” joint stage appearance of Deputy First Minister and DUP politician Emma Little-Pengelly, along with Northern Ireland First Minister and Sinn Féin’s Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill, amid thunderous acclaim.
When asked if he had altered his party’s position on rejecting forming a coalition with Sinn Féin, Mr. Varadkar responded as it “hasn’t changed our view”.
“We will co-operate with Sinn Féin and the DUP from time to time, particularly when it relates to issues to do with Northern Ireland, and that goes for all of the parties in Northern Ireland. But a coalition with Sinn Féin for us is simply not on the agenda,” he added, reports Breaking News.
He added: “We believe their economic policies would send Ireland backwards, would make Ireland broke again. We believe that their foreign policy would take us away from being at the heart of Europe, would weaken our friendship with a lot of other countries around the world, would risk making enemies of our friends and I just don’t see how we could agree a programme for government when we fundamentally disagree on so much,” reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
