Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney says Brexit negotiations have reached the 'endgame' - and 'it's going to be tense' as negotiators attempt to agree a trade deal.
He's warned that the British government's behaviour has made closing out negotiations 'much, much more difficult'.
With a key European Council meeting scheduled for next week and Boris Johnson having set an October 15th deadline for a deal, the pressure on is on to finalise a 'core' trade agreement before the transition period ends at the end of the year.
However, the process has been complicated by the British government's proposed legislation to overwrite parts of the Northern Ireland protocol - with British ministers admitting such a move a would break international law.
A dedicated committee is meeting in Brussels today, specifically focused on the Northern Ireland issue.
Simon Coveney told Newstalk Breakfast there's now an effort to try to resolve outstanding issues after three years of 'tortuous' negotiations.
He said: "This is the endgame of the negotiations - and it's going to be tense and it's going to be difficult.
"Unfortunately, the British government in my view has behaved in a way that has made closing out those negotiations much, much more difficult."
Minister Coveney said he hopes the EU does not have to proceed with full international court action against the UK, as that would be a "monumental failure of politics and diplomacy."
He said he believes a deal can be done, while putting in place the agreed Northern Ireland Protocol.
However, he noted: "I'll tell you one thing for sure - the EU is not going to allow a piece of legislation that's been introduced by the British government as negotiating leverage to be negotiating leverage.
"This should not be on the table - we shouldn't be distracted by a piece of legislation that's threatening to breach international law."
