Strong and specific apologies from the IRA and the Irish state for its historical treatment of non-Catholics could help to "change hearts and minds" over unification, Leo Varadkar has said. The former Taoiseach said it had to be acknowledged that in its first decades of existence the Irish state was "sectarian in character". Mr Varadkar was then asked if, as part of a unity process, the IRA should apologise to victims or the Irish state for its past treatment of non-Catholics. He said: "I think we should certainly acknowledge that the first few decades of the Irish free state and the Irish state which followed was sectarian in character." "In terms of apologies I think apologies are appropriate but you have to be careful about them.

Source: Irish Independent June 15, 2024 18:30 UTC