Leo Varadkar and Boris Johnson have talked over the phone this morning and the Taoiseach said that he believes a deal can be done today and signed at EU Council tomorrow.
The Taoiseach said: “I do think we are making progress, but there are issues yet to be resolved and hopefully that can be done today, allowing us to ratify the agreement at European Council tomorrow.”
Europe is now on the brink of sealing a deal on Wednesday on the UK’s exit from the EU as a series of carefully choreographed meetings are arranged for this afternoon and tonight.
And the first of these may have been Mr Varadkar laying the groundwork at a Department of Agriculture business seminar in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin this morning, where he revealed some details of his cosy chats with Prime Minister Johnson.
The Taoiseach said: “Following the meeting I had in the Wirral with Prime Minister Johnson last week, I am convinced that all parties are serious about getting a deal this week, or if not this week, then at least by the end of the month.
“An agreement, an orderly Brexit, a deal, however you want to describe it, is very much in the interests of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the European Union as a whole.
“There is a pathway to a possible deal, but there are many issues that remain to be fully resolved on the consent mechanism and on some issues around customs and VAT.
“I spoke to the Prime Minister by phone again this morning and I’ve also been in contact with the European Commission.
“And I do think we are making progress, but there are issues yet to be resolved and hopefully that can be done today, allowing us to ratify the agreement at European Council tomorrow, allowing the House of Commons to give their view on it on Saturday.
“But if it’s not, there is still more time.
“The 31st of October is still a few weeks away and there is the possibility of an additional Summit before that, if we need one.”
He added: “A lot of things have changed in the past three years when it comes to Brexit, there have been many twists and turns.
“But what’s never changed is our objectives and they’re simple ones.
“We want to avoid a hard border between North and South, we want the all-island economy to continue to thrive and prosper.
“We want North-South cooperation to resume as was envisaged under the Good Friday Agreement.
“And of course we want to protect the integrity of the Single Market, and our place in it.
“And although time is running short, I am confident that a deal can be achieved.”
