The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is travelling to Paris today to discuss the latest Brexit developments with the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

He is due to meet with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Dublin on Thursday – with a number of calls scheduled with other European leaders throughout the week.

The engagements come after the House of Commons again failed to agree on a way forward on Brexit.

British MPs rejected all four Brexit options put to them in a second round of “indicative votes” – including remaining in a customs union with the EU, revoking Article 50, a general election and a second referendum.

No deal

This morning, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned that a no-deal scenario was becoming more likely by the day.

He again warned that the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement is the only deal on the table – and said that if the UK Parliament fails to pass it in the coming days, the country will have to request a longer extension or face leaving without a deal.

Solidarity

Before travelling to Paris, Mr Varadkar said his meetings with the French and German leaders demonstrate the ‘strong and unwavering EU solidarity with Ireland in relation to Brexit.’

“I’m looking forward to meeting President Macron at this critical juncture in Brexit,” he said.

“I will thank him for the ongoing solidarity from France, including the clear commitment that the Withdrawal Agreement must include an operational backstop to avoid a hard border.”

Border

He said he will use the meetings to discuss the “possible scenarios arising from this week” – including ongoing efforts to secure ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement and the European response to any potential UK request for a longer extension.

“As I have indicated, it is now up to the UK to show how it plans to proceed and avoid a No Deal scenario,” he said.

“We are preparing for all outcomes, and have prepared intensively for a No Deal.

“But no one should under-estimate the difficulties that a No Deal will present, for all of us.”

The meetings are likely to lead to hard questions on how the EU can avoid a hard border in Ireland while also upholding the integrity of the single market.

Mr Varadkar has consistently warned that the UK will have to accept Northern Ireland being treated differently to Britain on customs and regulations if it is to keep its promises that Brexit will not lead to a hard border.