The Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister has downplayed the prospect of a major breakthrough in negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol next week.
Ahead of a meeting of the EU/UK joint committee on the implementation of the contentious post-Brexit trading arrangements, Simon Coveney urged against "unrealistic" expectations on what might emerge from that engagement.
On a visit to meet political leaders in Belfast, Mr Coveney said: "I think it's important not to be unrealistic in terms of the expectations that may come from that meeting.
"I think the likely scenario is that there probably will be a joint statement from both sides in terms of outlining the issues that they want to try and address together.
"But we should use that as a staging point for progress, as opposed to a reminder of how far apart the two sides continue to be."
