Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he is not optimistic of a Brexit deal in light of the UK introducing domestic legislation to override parts of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Martin said trust has been eroded and is likely to impact further negotiations.

"The stakes are higher now because of the British action. The publication of the bill signals an attempt by the UK government to essentially break its commitment entered into an international agreement and that is very serious," he said.

"It's very worrying news for everybody and in my view makes no sense and I've consistently said this to the British Prime Minister," Mr Martin added.

"I think the European Union leadership will be very concerned in how negotiations go from here."

Mr Martin said he made it clear in a phone call last night with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of his "outright opposition" to the move taken.

He said he pointed out very strongly it was " dragging Northern Ireland" back into the centre stage.

The Taoiseach said Mr Johnson has a full understanding of where he is coming from with his concerns. 

He said Britain signed up to the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol with a view to ensuring they wanted access to the European market.

"Trust has been eroded but he made it clear to me that the UK was fully committed to meeting the obligations of protecting the single market and fluidity of trade north and south. The legislation runs counter to that," he siad.

Mr Martin said the UK-EU committee meeting being held later today will discuss issues adding that if the UK had issues, they should have addressed them at this meeting.

He said when you look at the clauses of the legislation published by the UK government it essentially gives them "a chance to nullify the protocol" and that they can do "what they want when they want to".

The Taoiseach said it is not constructive or conducive to negotiations and they now have to prepare for the prospect of a no deal.

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Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the UK has been very disingenuous in its approach to Brexit negotiations by making what he called "a sinister move" by publishing the draft Internal Markets Bill.

He said that the only way a deal on trade negotiations can go ahead is if the UK sets aside a number of clauses of the draft legislation that overrule international and European law.

Mr Ahern told RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne that despite stating in the House of Commons that the legislation would introduce "some minor changes", the bill would effectively allow the UK to do whatever it likes, whenever it likes, and on any issue it likes.

He said the EU's Joint Steering Committee on Brexit is not a forum to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement.

Hastily arranged Brexit talks will take place today with an "extraordinary meeting" of the Joint Committee between the UK and EU is being held in London.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove will meet senior EU official Maros Sefcovic to discuss the situation, as talks between the UK's chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost and his Brussels counterpart Michel Barnier continue.

The meeting between Mr Gove and Mr Sefcovic comes as Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi insisted there was "absolutely no chance" of the US Congress passing a trade deal with the UK if the Northern Ireland peace process was "imperilled".

The European Commission's chief spokesperson Eric Mamer Tweeted late yesterday: "Following today's announcement by the UK, Maros Sefcovic will travel to London tomorrow to meet Michael Gove for an extraordinary meeting of the Joint Committee.

"The EU seeks clarifications from the UK on the full and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement."