Taken together, Leo Varadkar’s remarks in his interview with Jim Fitzpatrick at the Ireland’s Future conference on Saturday constitute a game changer, a moment of significance.

Up to this point all taoisigh, including Simon Harris, thought all they have to do is intone, as he did, “I believe in a united Ireland and my political aspiration is that we would see one in my lifetime”, then move swiftly on.

On Saturday, Varadkar threw down a challenge to the next Irish government which is likely to be elected this autumn. He said: “What I hope we’ll see happen in the next government, no matter which parties are in it, that we’ll see what is a long-standing political aspiration towards unification become a political objective.”

He went on: “It means actively working towards it, preparing the ground for it.”

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He proposed that the government sets up a state fund now to allocate money from current budget surpluses that will be available to pay for a united Ireland later.

Varadkar also had something to say about the process for calling a referendum, stating that it’s “wrong there really aren’t any criteria as to what constitutes the right........

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