Editorial: ​Leo Varadkar is back in Northern Ireland, like a secretary of state

His government has also recently been pledging financial support for various projects or ideas in the province.

On today’s visit the Taoiseach will join the EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Belfast to announce one billion euro of EU funding for Northern Ireland.

The Irish premier and European Commission Vice-President will be joined at the announcement in Belfast by a representative of the UK government, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Dr Jayne Brady, and Ireland's Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe. The new funding plan will see 1.14 billion euro received through PEACEPLUS, a new EU programme to build reconciliation and prosperity across NI and the border counties of Ireland.

It is said that Mr Varadkar will also meet the as yet unnamed UK government representative to discuss the importance the Irish government attaches to the restoration of Stormont and to the British/Irish partnership, as well as the Irish government's concerns relating to the UK government's Legacy Bill.

If the government had any wit it would send the most junior minister it can find to represent it. Mr Varadkar was only days ago repeating his belief that a united Ireland is near. For once, the almost chronically weak UK government put out a message saying that it did not think the grounds for a border poll were in any way being met. But while this retort was welcome, it was not even close to what is required.

For example, when Mr Varadkar threatens legal action over legacy why does the UK not point out the Irish amnesty for IRA terrorists? It might only be a de facto amnesty but it is stark. And it could also point out that the UK has sovereignty and its funding will always dwarf anything that Dublin can afford.