Ireland sees window to secure agreement with UK before new bill passes

Ireland sees a window of opportunity for British and European Union negotiators to make progress on a new trade deal before British legislation opposed by the EU comes into law, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Sunday.

"The EU will not negotiate under that kind of threat" that will be created once Britain's proposed Internal Market Bill enters into law, Coveney told RTE radio in an interview.

"This legislation I believe will probably get delayed... That is going to give us a window to hopefully to try and address some of these issues in a comprehensive way so we can do away with this legislation," Coveney said.