UK must agree on border deal in Brexit negotiations

Tánaiste Simon Coveney is expected to warn today the Brexit negotiations cannot move on unless Britain signs off this week on the backstop deal to ensure there is no hard border when it leaves the EU.

The EU and Britain are still divided on the contentious issue of the North but progress is needed if talks are to move ahead on a Brexit transition deal and a future trade agreement.

Mr Coveney will meet EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels today. This follows intense negotiations last week between the EU and British sides, ahead of a leaders summit later this week.