Barnier on Irish visit

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator arrives in Ireland today.

Michel Barnier will hold a private meeting with Enda Kenny after addressing a special joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad.

He has already been in Dublin, seven months ago on a tour of European capitals.

But this two day trip is much different and will include a visit to the north and the border region.

Today he’s south of the border – and enjoying a rare honour in Leinster House, making a speech to a joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad: an honour previously enjoyed by Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair.

Afterwards he’ll hold a private meeting with the Taoiseach in Government buildings.

The goal of the two-day trip is to get a clearer vision of just how Brexit will affect Ireland – and to test the waters about how certain things might go down