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Sir, – In his suggestion that Irish unification can happen in his lifetime (“Tánaiste tells Fine Gael ardfheis party should establish a Northern Ireland branch”, News, June 15th), Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that the Republic would need to change to accommodate unification including a new and closer relationship with the United Kingdom.
This “closer relationship” with the UK looks suspiciously like a euphemism for a return to Commonwealth status for Ireland.
Commonwealth re-entry would inevitably lead to a role for the British monarch in the new state.
Although many Commonwealth countries embrace standards and values which we share in this country, why would we want to be associated with such beacons of human rights as Pakistan, Uganda or Nigeria?
The standards and values of some Commonwealth states are in fact repugnant and at variance with peace, human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The Irish state for all its faults is a democratic republic with a carefully crafted written Constitution, whereas Britain is a semi-feudal, caste-ridden monarchy with no written constitution.
Britain is also a military aggressor and predator on the global stage.
Our relationship with our nearest neighbour must be based on our sovereignty and independence. Irish separation from the embrace of the British polity and the existence of a republic are non-negotiable basic principles which underpin our post-colonial political ethos and identity.
In terms of international affairs, we would once again become a dominion and much of Europe would interpret our move as a “return to the fold” and a rejection of our former policies of separation from Great Britain. – Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.