It's a pivotal week for Brexit after EU and UK negotiators failed to reach a deal over the weekend.
Talks aimed at replacing the controversial backstop and securing a deal by Thursday's EU summit appear to have stalled.
There's just 18 days left until the UK is supposed to leave the European Union and still a deal hasn't been reached.
Towards the end of last week there was a major breakthrough after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met Boris Johnson, but over the weekend the talks have stagnated again.
The EU appears unconvinced about the viability of Northern Ireland leaving the customs union, but continuing to apply EU rules.
It would mean goods coming from the UK to the North would have to be checked and tracked to make sure the right tariffs are applied - something that remains difficult to enforce at a practical level.
Politically both sides are hopeful some agreement can be reached, but time is tighter than ever.
Typically any deal would have to be struck by Wednesday when the EU general affairs council meets, before the European Council leaders arrive in Brussels on Thursday to rubber stamp it.
While both sides will work until the last minute, this week's summit may be too soon.
In that case an extension of some kind may be sought - either a short technical one if a deal is in sight, or something longer to facilitate an election in the UK.
