The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney says he believes a post-Brexit trade deal could be agreed and that both sides wanted one, but that negotiations really needed to be finalised in the next few days.
"Despite some of the commentary we've got from various different sources in the last week, I think both sides do want a deal and they want a deal now," he told RTÉ.
"My view is that a deal can be done, but it really needs to be done within the next few days. There will be huge pressure this week on the negotiating teams to close this out and I would say a lot of impatience coming from Brussels and London."
Earlier today, the European Union and United Kingdom agreed to "go the extra mile" and continue talks on a post-Brexit trade deal, however a timeline was not specified.
Speaking just before midday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: "Our negotiating teams have been working day and night over recent days. And despite the exhaustion after almost a year of negotiations, despite the fact that deadlines have been missed over and over we think it is responsible at this point to go the extra mile.
"We have accordingly mandated our negotiators to continue the talks and to see whether an agreement can even at this late stage be reached."
Today is the deadline set by both sides for a "firm decision" on a Brexit trade deal, with the sticking points of fisheries, governance and competition as apparent as ever.
The hopes of a deal had been much gloomier in recent days, with Dublin, London and Brussels implying a no-deal scenario was closer than ever.
We had a useful call with @BorisJohnson this morning.
We agreed that talks will continue.https://t.co/rZpN4PmS1i— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) December 13, 2020
Advertisement
Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne says Brexit is a lose-lose situation even if something is hammered out today.
"Then people are talking there's always hope for progress but I would say the consequences of a no deal for everybody is that we will all lose.
"The consequences of a deal is that Brexit won't be as bad as it could be, but even with a deal, significant changes are afoot in the way Ireland trades with Great Britain and business are going to have to adjust and prepare and there will be hassle caused to consumers in the new year, deal or no deal."
Speaking about the remaining issues preventing a deal, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said some degree of creativity on the 'level playing field' could see an agreement get over the line.
"The level playing field area is one that has bedeviled the talks from the outset. In my view, with some degree of creativity, a resolution can be found in that area," Martin told the BBC.
Mr Martin said he fervently hoped the talks would go on beyond Sunday in search of a deal and that a failure to reach an accord would be an "appalling failure of statecraft" on both sides.
Royal Navy boats
Yesterday, it was reported that Royal Navy 'gunboats' were being prepared to patrol British waters in the event of a no-deal Brexit, something which would put Irish fishermen out of business, according to a trade group.
The Killybegs Fisheries Organisation says Britain would have to tear up international law to declare full sovereignty over all the fish in its seas but any action taken by the UK would have devastating effects on mackerel boats in Killybegs according to chief executive Sean O'Donoghue.
"In a no-deal scenario there's going to have to be a sit-down between parties to sort out the total international caps," Mr O'Donoghue warned.
Aside from businesses and consumers, the former head of Europol, Max-Peter Ratzel said the issues caused by no deal being reached could extend to international policing as the sharing of information between countries could be prevented.
In preparation for what is looking like the inevitable outcome, the UK government has spent £4 billion (€4.3 billion) on measures designed to minimise disruption to trade and travel.
The preparations include bringing in new requirements and extra officers at their borders to allow goods to flow.
Over 20 different helplines are also expected to be established to give advice to businesses.
