Ireland's Prime Minister (Taoiseach) and Defence Minister Leo Varadkar
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Friday that a possible extension of Britain's post-Brexit transition period would not diminish Ireland's need for a "backstop" to avoid a hard border with Northern Ireland.
He also told reporters on the third day of EU summit meetings in Brussels that it would be up to British Prime Minister Theresa May to decide whether she had to defy opposition from her unionist Northern Irish allies and agree to the EU's proposed backstop, which would potentially create trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the British mainland.
He said it was a "judgment call" May would have to make but said that without an Irish backstop, any withdrawal treaty might not be ratified by the European Parliament.
European Union negotiator Michel Barnier said on Friday a Brexit deal with the United Kingdom was 90 percent done, although there was still a chance no accord would be reached due to ongoing stumbling blocks over the Irish border."Ninety percent of the accord on the table has been agreed with Britain," Barnier told France Inter radio."I'm convinced a deal is necessary, I'm still not sure we'll get one," he said.On Thursday, British Prime Minister Theresa May and other EU leaders voiced renewed confidence that they could secure a Brexit deal, yet the two sides remain at odds over how to deal with their only land border, between the British province of Northern Ireland and Ireland.May had also signalled she would consider extending a so-called transition period "for a matter of months" after Britain leaves the EU in March. Amazon to open Manchester office as it adds 1,000 British jobsExtension of Brexit transition would not solve the problems: German minister
EU's Barnier says Brexit deal 90 pct done, but Ireland issue could derail it