The Taoiseach has said it would be a “significant failure” if the EU and UK do not agree a post-Brexit trade deal this week.
Speaking this morning, Micheál Martin said it will be challenging to close the gaps that remain, but a deal can be done.
He was speaking after chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier gave a “gloomy and downbeat” assessment of where the talks were at.
Speaking to ambassadors and MEPs in Brussels this morning, he dismissed suggestions there had been a breakthrough on fisheries and said a deal must be reached by Wednesday.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there is still a lot of work to do.
“Overall, I think it is in the best interests of all concerned that a proper trade deal is agreed,” he said.
“Because our respective economies across Europe and within the UK would suffer, unnecessarily in my view, in the event of a no deal.
“When I say unnecessarily, I mean a deal can be arrived at. I think it would be a significant failure if we were to end up with no deal.”
