Playing his Trump card? Leo says Sinn Féin ‘will make Ireland broke again’ during US trip
SINN Féin would ‘make Ireland broke again’, the Taoiseach has said in the US, as he reiterated his opposition to going into government with the party.
Asked by reporters whether he would reconsider his position on not working with Sinn Féin in government, Mr Varadkar said: ‘We’re willing to cooperate with them on certain issues, and we do and certainly
‘They’ll turn friends into enemies’
we’re willing to cooperate in relation to Northern Ireland. I very much like and respect the First Minister.’
But borrowing from Donald Trump’s famous slogan of ‘Make America Great Again’, the Taoiseach continued: ‘I firmly believe that Sinn Féin will make Ireland broke again if they pursue their economic and trade policies. I know they tell one thing to business leaders but they are telling a very different thing to the Irish people, and if they told the Irish people the truth, their economic policies will be deleterious for us.
‘I think when it comes to foreign policy, that they’ll turn our friends into enemies. That will be a very serious matter. Whether it’s supporting separatism in Spain, whether it’s already making an enemy of President [Ursula] von der Leyen...’ Mr Varadkar, who travelled from Boston to Washington DC yesterday, also said that it was ‘unhelpful’ that Sinn Féin was pushing for a border poll.
‘The majority of people in Northern Ireland in particular, don’t want unification at this time. And I think pressing for that and calling for that actually makes it harder for the Good
Friday Agreement institutions to work.
‘I think what we need now is a period of bedding down.’
The North is set to be the focus of a gala dinner event in Washington DC as First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly address guests. It is the first time the North’s leaders have officially visited the US city together ahead of St Patrick’s Day for eight years. ÷HE MAY be hot-footing it about the USA but Mr Varadkar has ruled out ever appearing on Dancing With The Stars.
The Taoiseach is a well-known fan of the hit RTÉ show but when asked if he would ever appear on it, he said: ‘Have you seen me dance? No, God no, that would not be something I would ever consider. Balance and coordination would not be my best strengths unfortunately.’