Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union has said he believes the UK and EU will have agreed a transition deal within the next eight weeks.
David Davis was giving evidence to a House of Commons committee this morning.
Mr Davis said he was "relaxed" about the transition deal because his main concern is the future relationship between the UK and EU.
He said no specific meetings to discuss the transition agreement had yet been scheduled, but stressed that staff from his department have been in Brussels in recent weeks meeting EU officials, and are there again today.
When asked about what he thought might be the difficult elements in the transition deal, Mr Davis said he thought the arguments would surround issues such as doing "outside negotiations" on trade deals with non-EU countries.
The Brexit Secretary said the UK would devise an approach on those negotiations that would do no damage to the EU, but there are those who would want to "restrict advantage" for the UK.
It is for that reason, he said, he thought it could be a problematic area in transition talks.
In relation to the timeline of any transition deal, Mr Davis again said he was relaxed about this and felt it would be "about two years".
Meanwhile, the DUP's Sammy Wilson accused the Irish Government of a "very public hissy fit"' in relation to Brexit negotiations.
While questioning Mr Davis at the committee, Mr Wilson raised the issue of UK government plans for a "virtual border" post-Brexit, which would focus on technological solutions to changes that will arise on the border after the UK leaves the EU.
The East Antrim MP asked Mr Davis if such arrangements would not require huge political commitment from the Government to push such solutions with the EU.
Mr Wilson asked if Mr Davis was confident of such cooperation from the Government given the "very public hissy fit" it is having over post-Brexit arrangements.
The Brexit Secretary said it is in the interests of the Government to get satisfactory post-Brexit arrangements.
