Photograph: Henry Wills / Western PeopleFianna Fáil’s Pádraig Flynn “shouted at” British prime minister John Major during a testy meeting in 1992 when he objected to British government calls for Dublin to drop Ireland’s constitutional claim to Northern Ireland. “It is not helpful when Her Majesty’s government says that the Irish Constitution must be changed,” Flynn – who accompanied taoiseach Albert Reynolds – told Major at the London meeting. “I sit opposite Patrick at the talks and every time he speaks, they linger on his words,” he said. Flynn said the talks were going nowhere, adding: “We hope to go somewhere but every week the unionist position is clearly stated . Objecting to what he characterised as ceaseless demands from the unionists for constitutional change in the Republic, Flynn said: “I have sat there at the talks and been insulted.

Source: The Irish Times December 27, 2025 15:02 UTC