Varadkar would rather 'resign from Fine Gael' than form coalition with Sinn Féin

Taoiseach's comments will be broadcast in Thursday night's episode of RTÉ's 'Two Tribes' documentary

Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Leo Varadkar would rather resign from Fine Gael than lead the party into coalition with Sinn Féin, he has said.

Mr Varadkar made his comments in  Two Tribes, a two-part RTÉ documentary series on the history and legacy of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, hosted by broadcaster Sean O’Rourke.

In the second part of the series to be broadcast on Thursday night, Mr Varadkar says: 

I would be totally against it, could not lead my party in a coalition with Sinn Féin.  

“I would resign as a member,” Mr Varadkar said when asked if he would step down as leader of Fine Gael rather than join forces with Sinn Féin.

Mr O’Rourke asked Mr Varadkar as to whether there was a comparision between Sinn Féin’s violent past and Fine Gael’s revolutionary history with men like Michael Collins who ordered young men to kill.

Mr Varadkar replied that Mr Collins didn’t send people out to blow up chip shops, buses, or shopping centres.

In the same episode, new Tánaiste Micheál Martin refused to close the door on a deal with Sinn Féin, saying it is something the people will decide. He said: "I think economically and politically there would be huge difficulty in going into Government with Sinn Féin, but I would say in the next general election the idea of ruling out parties may not be as strong. 

"In other words, we will leave it to the people to decide,” Mr Martin said.

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Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald told the programme that, under her leadership, Sinn Féin would be willing to talk to any potential coalition partners after the next election.

“I will speak to everybody... because I think that is what grown-ups do,” she said. 

"I think that is the adult, and in fact, the respectful thing to do."

Also interviewed in the programme is former Fianna Fáil Taoiseach Bertie Ahern who said Sinn Féin had to be given “acknowledgment” for moving more into the centre ground of Irish politics.

“The more Sinn Féin comes into mainstream, the more support they are gaining from a lot of people,” he said.

Speaking about the journey towards the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Ahern defended his decision to release the Balcombe Street Gang, a group of Provisional IRA bombers captured in London, only for them to be given a hero’s welcome at the Sinn Féin ard fheis at the RDS.

He said those events while the cause of great annoyance to the British government helped secure the party’s support for the agreement.

“I think the euphoria of that made sure that we got it across the line,” he said.