German chancellor tried to change Ireland's 'irrational' neutrality

German Chancellor Helmut Kohl told then Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald it would be possible to change Irish people’s “irrational” insistence on neutrality, newly declassified files reveal.

In notes marked “especially confidential”, Mr FitzGerald suggests a new relationship with Britain over Northern Ireland could be one way to get around Irish people being “emotionally” attached to the “obstacle”.