Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have spoken to the UK Government and we have spoken to many on the EU side.

Let me be clear with the House, because it is important to be, that there is no hidden solution that will pop up in a few weeks' time. The UK Government's position is firm. Unless and until that changes, and we have not seen any evidence to suggest it is going to, and I want to be honest with everybody about that, at the moment the way I see it is that we are unlikely to see a request for an extension. Therefore, we will have to plan on the basis of trying to find a way of getting an agreement on these very difficult timelines. If it is not possible to conclude an agreement because of the tightness of these timelines we have to have plans in place to try to protect Irish interests as best we can. None of this is easy and I think it is important to be upfront about it.

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