Irish PM says he will listen to alternatives to N.Ireland backstop

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Thursday he was willing to listen to alternative proposals from the next British prime minister on keeping Northern Ireland's border open after Brexit.

Varadkar said he was willing to meet the new prime minister as soon as he is selected by the ruling Conservative Party. If they have "proposals that genuinely achieve the same outcome I have to listen to them," he told Irish broadcaster RTE.

"I am willing to compromise, provided those objectives achieved," he said. "The objectives are that Brexit should not lead to the emergence of a hard border between north and south, that the right of citizens in Northern Ireland are fully protected and that we preserve north/south cooperation on the all-island economy and the Good Friday Agreement."