The first part of the Brexit negotiations will see 'great attention' paid to Ireland, insists Michel Barnier.
Michel Barnier, the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, insisted that the interests of Ireland will be front and centre as talks begin on Britain's divorce from the EU.
"I will pay great attention to the situation in Ireland... I will be going to Ireland next week," he said.
Barnier said that the Brexit negotiations will be incredibly complicated but that they must be concluded by October 2018 in order to get Britain's scheduled departure through for 29 March 2019.
Amid reports that leaving the EU could cost the British exchequer upwards of £100bn, Barnier insisted that it was not his aim to 'punish' the United Kingdom.
"There is no punishment, there is no Brexit bill, the financial settlement is only about settling the accounts," Barnier told a news conference.
