Predicted elections in Northern Ireland may be the reason why the UK and EU are returning to the Brexit negotiation table. Both sides are set to meet today for the first time since February with the Northern Ireland Protocol expected to be on the agenda.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is also set to discuss British/Irish relations in a meeting with the UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly this evening. Neale Richmond is Fine Gael's spokesperson on European Affairs and says there's a tight timeline to get the ball rolling on the talks.
"There are two staging points on Tuesday; the Protocol Busting Bill is tabled in the House of Lords and that has six weeks to run. Then we are due to have elections called in Northern Ireland by the 28th of October," he continued.
"There is a huge will and requirement to have serious progress by the end of October by the very least."
