Taoiseach Leo Varadkar believes it is unlikely that the United Kingdom will crash out of the European Union without a deal.
Mr Varadkar was speaking in Belfast after meeting Northern Ireland’s business leaders for discussions which he described as being about Brexit and developing stronger economic links across the border.
The government is currently making preparations for a no-deal Brexit, but he told media that he believes there will either be a deal or an extension to the negotiations.
The Taoiseach said: “We are entering quite a sensitive period over the next week or two in the run-up to the next set of votes in the House of Commons on March 12 and the European Council summit which happens the week after.
“I don’t want to say too much about it at this stage but I think that the United Kingdom crashing out of the European Union without a deal on March 29 is unlikely.
“I think that we either will have a deal or we will have an extension but as is always the case, we have to work hard to achieve that withdrawal agreement, to get it ratified and also prepare for the worst-case scenario in case that arises.”