Leo Varadkar

We really hope it works out for them( United Kingdom) but I think there will always be a place at the table for them if they ever choose to come back.

There is a pathway to a possible deal but there are many issues that still need to be fully resolved.

There is a pathway to a possible deal but there are many issues that still need to be fully resolved, particularly around the consent mechanism and also some issues around customs and VAT, i spoke to the (British) Prime Minister by phone this morning and I have also been in contact with the European Commission and I do think we are making progress but there are issues yet to be resolved and hopefully that can be done today.

But whether we will be able to conclude a revised withdrawal agreement, which after all is an international treaty, in time for the summit on Thursday, that's as of now unclear.

I'll certainly work until the very last moment to secure that (a deal) but not at any cost... I think it will be very difficult to secure an agreement by next week, quite frankly, essentially what the United Kingdom has done is repudiated the deal that we negotiated in good faith with Prime Minister May's government over two years and has sort of put half of that now back on the table and are saying that's a concession and of course it isn't really. There are two big gaps.

The gap is very wide, but we will fight (against) ... no-deal until the last moment, but not at any cost, we always said we are willing to explore alternative arrangements ... But so far I think it is fair to say that what we are seeing falls very far short of what we need.

We always said we are willing to explore alternative arrangements ... But so far I think it is fair to say that what we are seeing falls very far short of what we need, the gap is very wide.

There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement if Brazil does not honor its environmental commitments.

He wants to keep that (the border) open and believes that can be done. We didn't go into any particular details as to how he thinks that can be done but he understands that has to be a shared objective.

It now means we enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit and a phase that may be a very dangerous one, whatever happens, we are going to hold our nerve.

I hate to see everything being ripped apart right now, I dont think another vote would be possible because it would be very unfair to the people that won that say : What do you mean youre going to take another vote ? so that would be tough.

I regret that Brexit is happening and United Kingdom was a really important part of European Union. But they're going now and United Kingdom's United Kingdom.

In terms of a no deal, let's not forget ultimately, it is within the gift of the UK government and the UK parliament to take the threat of no deal off the table, it is possible if the UK wishes to, to revoke Article 50, or, if that's a step too far to seek an extension of Article 50.

We can be more optimistic than we were a week ago, i think Theresa May had a real political success in being able to produce a paper which the entire cabinet is able to support.

It's possible even that we could carry every constituency in the country; men and women; almost every age group and every social class, and that indicates to me that we are a country that is not divided.

What we see is the culmination of a quiet revolution that has been taking place in Ireland over the last couple of decades.

Well 2023 won't do. The Irish government won't be able to agree to a situation where we put off a fundamental decision like that, the whole purpose of having the backstop is that that's a guarantee that is there in perpetuity and just kicking the can down the road on the basis that maybe we can come up with some sort of legal or technological solutions that don't exist now, that's not something we could accept.

Certainly the customs partnership, as proposed by the UK last June, isn't workable, that's the view of the (EU) taskforce and the EU27 and has been rejected, but I do think the customs partnership is closer to being made workable than this proposal of 'max fac'.

Certainly I haven't seen any detail to date to indicate to me that such a solution would be as functional as make-up or deodorant.

For June, we do want to see real and meaningful progress. If we don't see that in June, then we have to ask serious questions as to whether a withdrawal agreement in October will be possible at all.