Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed his view that a “two-stage referendum” might take place regarding Irish unity. Speaking to students in Derry, he proposed that the initial vote of the people could be on the general concept of unity. This would then be followed by a consultative body which would iron out the finer details and form a revised constitution which would again be put forth for a confirmatory vote.
Varadkar elaborated that this process may encourage engagement from those of a Protestant or unionist heritage. Admitting a large section of this demographic may be against such discussions, he drew parallels with his own stance on discussions over the Republic of Ireland becoming a part of the United Kingdom. He emphasised that this presents a genuine challenge.
With Ireland’s Budget for 2025 affecting living standards and talks of Irish unification gaining momentum, the unionist parties are losing favour among some Protestants and unionists. Varadkar highlighted that many among them are open to dialogue on the subject.
This led him to see the potential value in a two-stage referendum. The initial phase could pave the way for voters from North and South to support the concept of unification, which could then lead to wider acceptance of the democratic result. This could lead to active participation in devising a vision for the future Ireland.
Mr Varadkar presented this idea, along with several others, during an event held by the Social Democratic and Labour Party’s New Ireland Commission.
Sinn Féin’s chief, Mary Lou McDonald, commented that Mr Varadkar has embraced his inner Sinn Féin values as well as the prospect of reunification, a stance she claimed all political parties should adopt. The erstwhile Taoiseach presented various proposals in his speech, emphasising that all significant events don’t need to take place in Dublin in the context of a united Ireland. An alternative could involve having the Dáil and Seanad assemble part of the year at Stormont.
Additionally, Mr Varadkar suggested empowering local authorities like town councils, city councils, and directly elected mayors. Another novel idea could be appointing a president and vice president from diverse communities, and utilising the Senate to ensure representation, particularly from minorities.
The previous taoiseach voiced the need for an expanded cabinet, featuring a dedicated defence minister, transport minister and Northern Ireland representatives. Taking into account that Northern Ireland would no longer be under NATO’s and British forces’ protection in a unified Ireland, he recommended forging alliances with different nations for security.
Regarding the support for a Border Poll, Mr Varadkar cautioned that a successful outcome wasn’t ensured and a decision should be postponed until the likelihood of passing was high. He noted that despite strong support for unification in the south, it declined when challenged with potential changes. His observation was that even among voters from Catholic, nationalist, or republican backgrounds in Northern Ireland, support for unification isn’t strong, with quite a number still undecided.
In the question and answer session after his speech, Mr Varadkar noted that a 50-plus-one result in a referendum would not be the best outcome. Instead, he stressed, the objective should be to secure the broadest possible support for a Yes vote on both sides of the Border. Although a majority of one would suffice, it isn’t what they are aiming for, he said. He emphasised the importance of shaping the vision for a new Ireland collectively, incorporating contributions from those residing in the north and south, in addition to those from the British unionist community.