Elaine Loughlin: If Johnson will tear up this deal, what's to stop him back-tracking on other agreements?

The next three months are crucial in resolving Brexit and the relationship between Ireland and the UK. Picture: Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

"Brexit is for real this time. There will be no more extra time."

Given the threats of cliff-edges, hard Brexits, and no-deals hanging over us for so long now, Simon Coveney's blunt soundings came as relief.

Also welcome to businesses across the country will be the Government's updated action plan, which aims to deal with the significant fallout that Britain's exit from the EU will bring about.

A new €9,000 grant for workers and online customs training is included in the Brexit readiness plan but there is also a lot of uncertainty contained in the 58-page document which urges us to prepare for what is still largely the unknown.

Across the Irish Sea, the latest plot twist in what has been a lengthy Brexit saga should be treated as a major cause for concern.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald summed it up most colourfully when she told the Dáil: "Perfidious Albion is alive and well and living in number 10 Downing Street."

In publishing their Internal Markets Bill, the UK government has given the two fingers to Ireland, the EU, and all the forensic and painstaking work that went into getting the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement across the line.

"Trust is fundamental to the conduct of any negotiations, we're extremely concerned about unilateral nature of the British Government's action and decision, which has the capacity to undermine progress in the negotiations," Taoiseach Micheál Martin said.

"The timing of this initiative, the internet unilateral nature of this initiative has not built trust," Mr Martin said adding that neither Ireland nor the EU had been given a "heads up" on what the UK government was plotting this week.

The Bill itself acknowledges that certain provisions will "have effect notwithstanding inconsistency or incompatibility with international or other domestic law".

But also raises broader questions around Northern Ireland.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Trade Simon Coveney pictured speaking at media briefing. Picture: Julien Behal photography

If the UK is willing to ignore international law and legally binding agreements on Brexit, what's to stop Boris Johnson from tearing up the Good Friday Agreement, which has ensured peace on this island, in favour of updated domestic legislation?

Mr Coveney yesterday sent out a stern warning that "Northern Ireland is too fragile and too important to be used as a pawn," in Brexit talks.

When asked directly about the latest proposals and the Good Friday Agreement the Taoiseach said: "Obviously it raises concerns when a government begins to unilaterally move away from agreements that they have entered into that raises concerns all around and it raises issues with trusting the full adherence to international agreements that have already been arrived at.

"That said that the British government consistently restated its support for the Good Friday Agreement in general, And also to make sure that we continue to nurture that agreement to allow for its full realisation."

There have been suggestions that the stance taken by Britain is simply "sabre-rattling" and "posturing" as Brexit talks enter their final an most critical stage.

But whatever the motives or tactics behind the UK's latest move, this country must take a mature attitude and get ready.

The next three months must be used wisely, to quote the Taoiseach "Brexit has no positive outcome."

"There is no outcome of these negotiations that will allow business as normal to continue," he said.