No deal Brexit back as a risk for Irish economy - finance minister

The chances of Britain's status-quo Brexit transition period ending without a trade deal at the end of the year is a risk the Irish economy needs to start preparing for, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said on Friday.

"It (Brexit) is back as a risk, it's back as a risk that we all need to plan for, and we will know just before the summer exactly what kind of issue this is going to be. It's difficult to calibrate it now," Donohoe told a virtual conference.

"I am pretty balanced in my assessment of where it as the moment. At this point it is too early to add to our pessimism and too early to add and create a sense of unjustified optimism. We are in the middle firmly at the moment."