UK Brexit minister urged to take Irish politics lesson
THE UK’s Brexit secretary David Davis has been urged to visit Ireland to get a refresher course in our politics – after he suggested the Government here is in the pocket of Sinn Féin.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney mentioned a possible invitation after he criticised the comments made by Mr Davis.
Mr Coveney described as ‘strange and inaccurate’ the remarks by Mr Davis that Dublin is dependent on Sinn Féin. ‘I think those comments are way off the mark and inaccurate,’ he said. ‘Perhaps it would be helpful if David came to Dublin and we had a talk about Irish politics... The idea that the Irish Government has its policy influenced or dictated by Sinn Féin, I think is nonsense.’
The chief UK negotiator on Brexit has not been to Ireland since Britain’s referendum vote to leave the EU – unlike foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who visited in December.
Mr Davis has more than once suggested the Irish Government has been unhelpful in Brexit discussions because it has one eye on the electoral chances of Sinn Féin. He declared in his latest comments that ‘a change in government in Dublin and an increasing hardline stance’ was due to Sinn Féin having ‘an influence’ over the administration.
The Taoiseach gave Mr Davis’s comments equally short shrift in Dublin yesterday, saying: ‘Of course we listen to what Sinn Féin have to say, as it is a party in Northern Ireland and here in the Republic. But ultimately it is the second party in the North and the third party in the Republic, and so I don’t think it has more influence on the Irish Government than the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have on the policy of the British Government.’
Leo Varadkar added: ‘We are certainly not taking directions from them, any more than Theresa May is from [SNP politician] Alec Salmond or [Scottish] First Minister Nicola Sturgeon... I think the comments [from Mr Davis] were a bit strange and inaccurate.’
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Davis was right that her party keeps a close eye on Brexit and puts a lot of effort into that area. ‘Of course we stay in close touch with the Government in Dublin,’ Ms McDonald said.
However, she denied that Sinn Féin’s strategy was to try to detach Northern Ireland from the UK by means of the Brexit issue.
The North would only come out of the UK by way of consent, she said. On Brexit, she added: ‘We’re trying to protect people’s livelihoods. This is the here and now.’
She said the lack of progress on the border issue and ‘the Irish question’ was down to the ‘inertia and unwillingness’ of the British government to come forward with a solution.