Irish deputy PM Simon Coveney, speaking in Brussels after meeting Michel Barnier: 'There are still significant gaps between both sides. Until there's a serious proposal in writing that can be the basis for a negotiation then the gaps that are wide at the moment will remain...
...and time is running out. We need to move this process on but really the onus is on the British PM and his team to allow that to happen by putting serious proposals on the table that the EU can then negotiate around to try and find a way of getting a deal done.'
Q: Are EU leaders sympathetic to another extension? Coveney: 'The focus is on trying to get a deal. From an Irish perspective we of course think an extension is preferable to No Deal but I think there would need to be good reason behind that ask for an extension.'
