Varadkar 'stands corrected' on claim Sinn Féin has no Protestant TDs

Clare Sinn Féin TD Violet-Anne Wynne, who is Protestant, said her party had never made an issue of her religion, but the Tánaiste had

The Tánaiste has been asked to retract a statement he made that Sinn Féin is 'sectarian' because it is 'anti-British' and has no Protestant TDs.

The Tánaiste has been asked to retract a statement he made that Sinn Féin is "sectarian" because it is "anti-British" and has no Protestant TDs.

Leo Varadkar said the opposition party were "an obstacle to unity" because of its "openly hostile" relationship with unionism. 

However, Clare TD Violet-Anne Wynne is Protestant.

Ms Wynne said her party had never made an issue of her religion, but the Tánaiste had.

"While nobody in Sinn Féin has ever made an issue of my religious views, it is not acceptable for the Tánaiste to do so. On national radio today, he said there are no Protestant TDs in our party. 

That is a lie. I am a Protestant and I am proud to be a Sinn Féin TD. The Tánaiste should immediately withdraw and apologise for his hurtful remarks."

In response, Mr Varadkar said: “I did not make any remarks, at all, about Deputy Wynne personally. I was unaware of her religious affiliation and I stand corrected. I fully retract my remark and apologise for any offence caused."

Earlier, Mr Varadkar was asked about the ads placed by the Friends of Sinn Féin group in the US, which call for the Irish Government to promote and hold a border poll to reunify the island. 

On Wednesday, the New York Times and the Washington Post carried half-page ads titled: 'A United Ireland – Let the people have their say.'

“The Good Friday [Belfast] Agreement provides for a referendum on Irish Unity. It is for the people to determine their future,” the ad reads, adding that the Irish Government should “promote and plan for unity”.

However, Mr Varadkar said while reunification was a "legitimate aspiration" Sinn Féin in the North was an obstacle to unity.

"I don't have any objections to running ads in American newspapers which support reunification – it's a legitimate aspiration and one that I share and my party shares. 

"What I do have a problem with is that Sinn Féin is an obstacle to Irish unity. They have a relationship with unionism that is one of mutual hostility, which is a big problem. 

They're sectarian, you know, they're still very anti-British, they have no Protestant TDs, MLAs or Senators. 

"And I believe that for a United Ireland to be achieved, and I think it can't be achieved in our lifetime, and for it to be a success we need to talk about unity among people. 

"A bit like Nelson Mandela talked about when he changed with Africa, being a rainbow nation. And that means accepting that there are a million people on the island who are British, that their national identity is as valid as ours and that the flag is orange as well as green, and that's just not the way Sinn Féin thinks."

The Tánaiste said Sinn Féin "scares off the middle ground".

A sectarian headcount isn't the right pathway to a United Ireland in my view, that has to be about reaching out to people. 

"It has to be about building a different State. One that respects the diversity of a modern Ireland, it's not about that old-fashioned nationalism that's very sectarian, very anti-British that Sinn Féin represents and that, of course, puts off the middle ground in Northern Ireland."

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill said the ads were "welcome" and "timely". 

She said the debate on unity was growing to a level not seen before.

"Now is the time to plan for Constitutional change. Now is the time to make this a normalised, inclusive conversation.

"The notion of consent is built into the Good Friday Agreement. People now have a choice between an inward-looking Brexit or an outward-looking united Ireland."