Leo Varadkar: I never used threat of violence to exert pressure over Brexit

Mr Varadkar faced flak back in 2018 for using past examples of attacks on border posts as evidence that such republican violence could recur in the present day if a visible border were instituted on the island.

He said at the time: “The concerns about the re-emergence of a hard border and the possibility of a return to violence are very real…

"That is what used to happen when we had customs posts in Ireland. I just wanted to make sure that there was no sense in the room that in any way anybody in Ireland or in the Irish government was anyhow exaggerating the real risk of a return to violence in Ireland...

"If we were to have a hard Brexit, imagine the effects that could potentially follow.”

He make particular reference to a story in the Irish Times, recalling the fatal consequences of one such attack.

In response, DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly tweeted at the time: "Foolish and dangerous talk – common sense must prevail here.

"The hardening of the border during the Troubles was a result of security issues due to paramilitary violence – not customs, tariffs etc."

Speaking on Thursday though, Dr Varadkar was quoted as saying : “I have never used the threat of violence in politics, I am totally opposed to the use of violence in politics.

“I don’t think it is ever justified in a democracy.

“What I did was express concerns at the time, concerns that were held by the chief constable, were held by the garda commissioner, that the re-establishment of border posts between north and south could lead to violence.

“But there is a very big difference between expressing concerns about violence and threatening it, and I certainly didn’t do that.”

In the last few years there have been repeated threats that violence from loyalists may once again be on the cards too.

These range from placards declaring that the “deal is off” (referring to the 1998 Agreement), graffiti reading “protocol = war”, and a hoax bombscare targeting the then-Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney in Belfast last year. ​​​​​

• 1 – Unless EU moves on two key points violence is still possible: loyalist group spokesman David Campbell

• 2 – Leading loyalist warns government it may well be playing with fire over Protocol

• 3 – Alliance Party points to Loyalist Communities Council amid Saoradh/Sinn Fein row