Ireland says Brexit trade talks timeline ‘virtually impossible’

The coronavirus pandemic has made an already difficult timeline for a British-European Union trade deal “virtually impossible”, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said, cautioning that he did not wish to raise expectations of London seeking more time.

“Given the complexity of what we’re trying to deal with here and the added complications, and there are many, as a result COVID-19, it surely makes sense for us to seek a bit more time,” Coveney told an online conference on Friday.

“I think anybody looking at this from the outside could only conclude it makes sense to look for more time, but the British government has decided that’s not what they want. I wouldn’t be raising expectations around the British government agreeing to seeking more time.”