A deal on the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol appears unlikely before the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
The anniversary on April 10 has been seen as an unofficial deadline for a resolution on the post-Brexit arrangements, which could clear a path to restoring power-sharing at Stormont.
But despite progress in talks between EU and UK officials, it is feared there will not be enough time to finally put the divisive issue to bed. Officials believe the deal could be 'fudged', with an agreement in principle announced before April 10, before the finer points are hammered out, RTÉ reported.
UK foreign secretary James Cleverly and Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris met European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic in London yesterday, as Britain and Brussels try to find a way forward over post-Brexit arrangements in the North.
Progress between the EU and the UK on post-Brexit data-sharing has been hailed as a 'positive step' in the ongoing talks. Both sides hailed an agreement in the area of data-sharing and EU access to British IT systems as a key step in resolving the row over the protocol, which has left the North without a devolved power-sharing executive since early last year. A joint statement after the meeting described it as 'cordial and constructive'.
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The statement said officials in London and Brussels would now "work rapidly to scope the potential for solutions in different areas."
Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Michéal Martin welcomed the progress, adding that this "provides a new basis for EU-UK discussions".
"It is important that joint solutions are found," said Mr Martin.
The Fianna Fáil leader will be in Brussels today for meetings around the protocol and other issues.
Mr Heaton-Harris has invited Stormont leaders for fresh talks tomorrow.
Image: Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and UK foreign secretary James Cleverly
