Brexit negotiations have proceeded tentatively over the past few months as both the UK and the European Union continuously failed to find common ground on issues like fishing and state aid. Despite Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin expressing concerns about a trade deal being struck before the year is out, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney appeared more optimistic about the future. Speaking to Bloomberg, Mr Coveney said: "I think not agreeing a trade deal between the EU and the UK between now and the end of the year would be an enormous failure of politics and diplomacy.

"It would be damaging to the British economy and indeed the Irish economy and other EU countries also.

"The incentive is there to get a deal done. We know what the outstanding issues are and they're not insurmountable."

Mr Coveney continued: "I still think there's a good chance we'll get a trade deal before the end of the year.

"Even if we don't, there's still a lot to do in terms of implementing the international treaty that facilitate the UK leaving the EU that was agreed this time last year.

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"There are two negotiations in place, one about implementing what has already been agreed, which the British Government is not threatening to legislate against.

"And secondly, there is a future relationship agreement, the important part of which is a trade agreement that would avoid tariffs and quotas impacting trade between the UK and the European Union."

Negotiations grew sour after the UK Government tabled the Internal Market Bill, which the Cabinet insisted would help protect the smooth passage of goods between the UK nations.

But Brussels has warned the legislation would impinge on the withdrawal agreement struck in 2019, with a particular impact on the Northern Ireland protocol.

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Asked about the role of the legislation in the talks, Mr Coveney insisted the bill would become "irrelevant" once the UK and the EU reached a deal on their future trading relation.

He added: "If there's a trade deal done, two of the three issues that the Internal Market Bill proposed to deal with effectively are solved.

"So if there's a trade deal done , the contentious elements of the Internal Market Bill largely become irrelevant."

Despite concerns about a potential rebellion, the Internal Market Bill secured the support of a majority of MPs in its third reading phase and headed back to the House of Lords one of the final stages of the process to becoming law.

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Negotiations with Brussels resumed for their ninth round earlier this week despite the tense atmosphere between the UK and the EU.

Boris Johnson earlier this month moved up the talks deadline to October 15, insisting an agreement will need to be reached.

No Conservative MPs are understood to have rebelled to oppose the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill, according to the division list.

A total of 21 were listed as not recording a vote - those who did not record a vote included former prime minister Theresa May and former attorneys general Geoffrey Cox and Jeremy Wright.

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Ireland ROW: Coveney breaks ranks and says 'good chance' Brexit deal DONE by end of year - Daily Express