Tánaiste visiting London and Paris for Brexit talks
Tánaiste Simon Coveney is visiting London and Paris today for talks focusing on Brexit.
In London, he will meet with his UK counterpart Jeremy Hunt while in Paris the Tánaiste will meet with the French ministers for Foreign Affairs and European Affairs.
Ahead of today's meeting, Minister Coveney spoke to the French news station France24, and said: "We're trying to come up with a complicated solution to preventing physical border infrastructure reemerging, potentially.
"We need an insurance mechanism that that can't happen - that's the backstop."
He said he does believe there will be a deal between the EU and UK before Christmas, explaining: "We can get this Irish border issue agreed as well. We're working towards a solution there that everybody can live with, and nobody feels threatened by.
"A deal is needed now to try and create a calm, politically."
Meanwhile, a trade mission of 45 Enterprise Ireland clients will get underway in China today.
Business Minister Heather Humphries said it is important for companies to diversify as Britain leaves the EU.
Ms Humphries said: "It's in our mind at the event all the time because what we want to do is to diversify our markets into other countries.
"Asia is a big and growing economy and we have many Irish companies that can provide the necessary solutions for these companies abroad."
