Coveney and Barnier willing to negotiate on Brexit backstop deal

Tánaiste Simon Coveney and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier have indicated they are willing to negotiate on the March backstop deal in a bid to prevent a deeply damaging no deal crash-out Brexit.

The Tánaiste and the high-ranking EU official hinted at the potential move after British prime minister Theresa May insisted the current backstop is not workable and as Mr Coveney admitted for the first time Ireland is preparing for a worst case scenario.