Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad that an agreement to implement the Irish protocol was reached this week. It is the coming to fruition and the outcome of the agreement we made with the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, three years ago. I said at the time that it was bulletproof, and it turned out to be bullet proof. Some people doubted that at the time but it has now proven to be so. All that was promised, including that there would be no hard border between North and South and that the common travel area between Ireland and Britain would be maintained, has been done and is being honoured by the UK, the EU and Ireland.

I do not have any read-out on the dinner last night. I was not there and those who were have kept what transpired close to themselves. It is impossible for me to comment on it but I can say that they did at least agree that it was worth continuing the talks. The talks will continue at least until Sunday. As is always the case in negotiations such as this, a bit of compromise from both sides is required. Final decisions can only be made by the principals, in this case Prime Minister Johnson and President von der Leyen. I hope we will see a positive outcome.

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