Brexit deal '90% agreed', says Ireland's deputy PM Simon Coveney
Simon Coveney tells Sky News that the UK and EU's negotiating teams "need to lock themselves in a room for the next 10 days".
Sunday 7 October 2018 12:24, UK
Ireland's foreign minister has told Sky News a Brexit deal is 90% complete - a day after senior EU figures said a deal could be ready within weeks.
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Simon Coveney described the chances of agreeing a Brexit withdrawal treaty as "good".
It came after EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told Austrian newspapers the "rapproachement potential" had increased in the last few days and that "it cannot be foreseen whether we will finish [the deal] in October. If not we'll do it in November".
Mr Coveney said: "I think the chances are good because I think the consequences of not getting a deal are very, very negative indeed.
"Don't forget that the withdrawal treaty is already about 90% agreed in terms of text.
"The issues that haven't been signed off on yet relate predominantly to Ireland and what's needed now is the two negotiating teams to lock themselves in a room for the next 10 days.
"The British government needs to come forward with the new text that it's promised in an effort to solve this Irish border issue.
"I expect it will be bumpy ride but it can be done and will be done."
Members of the government, speaking on Sunday morning politics shows, also indicated they were optimistic of progress.
But they remained adamant there were no intentions of dealing with the promises Theresa May had already outlined.
Asked BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show if the UK was close to a Brexit deal, Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis said: "Yes, I am confident, actually, the Prime Minister will come back with a deal.
"One that delivers for the United Kingdom, for our future economy."
Culture secretary Jeremy Wright, asked about whether a deal was weeks away on Sophy Ridge on Sunday, said: "Inevitably, we've got the EU Council coming up in October.
"We hope very much that significant progress will be made and I think the EU wants that too, so we are all hopeful that in the end what we want is a good deal.
"What we want is something that will benefit the EU and benefit the UK and what we won't do is accept any deal at all, something that prejudices the position of the United Kingdom, but I think it's perfectly possible to get a deal that does us some good and does the EU some good as well."