Tánaiste Simon Coveney has warned the next 24 hours will make or break any hopes of a Brexit deal by this Thursday's EU summit as fears continue to grow that an agreement will fail to be reached this week. Speaking to reporters as he and European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee left the EU foreign affairs council meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday, Mr Coveney said "a big step forward needs to happen today" to ensure any progress is made. While saying "I don't think it's inevitable that we can't get a deal before the summit" this week and stressing no emergency EU summit for next week has been planned as yet, Mr Coveney said a deal must be agreed by Wednesday evening if it will be agreed this week. "But I think we should focus on trying to get the job done, and certainly I think that's what Michel Barnier and his task force are focussed on and the UK side is the same," Mr Coveney said. However, he again stressed:"From everybody's perspective if we could provide clarity at this leaders summit then I think that would be a welcome development.

Source: Irish Examiner October 15, 2019 10:41 UTC