After almost two years of little engagement, it is clear that the Brexit negotiations are getting serious and entering the final phase.

This week, UK Brexit Minister Dominic Raab suggested that 21 November was the date it would be wrapped up by.

That may still be the case and an EU Council of Ministers could well yet be convened for that week despite the mood in Brussels suggesting it was more likely to take place in December.

Visits by British ministers

There has been a strong British Government ministerial presence in Ireland over the past 24 hours.

Deputy Prime Minister David Liddington was in Dublin along with Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley for talks with the Tánaiste, Simon Coveney and Justice minister, Charlie Flanagan.

The Tánaiste was upbeat in a briefing he gave the International Guild of Agricultural Journalists at the Farm Centre ahead of his meeting.

He explained that we are now in the end game of part one in the Brexit negotiations and he referenced all the big issues that had been resolved including citizens’ rights, the exit payment for the UK and transition period.

The comments by all parties after their meeting was equally positive, with the emphasis on how close a deal is.

Brexit minister in north

Meanwhile, the minister responsible for Brexit in the British Government, Dominic Raab, was in Northern Ireland yesterday visiting the ports and meeting with local political leaders.

The sentiment was similar though the emphasis was on preserving the integrity of the UK while at the same time emphasising the desire to avoid physical borders.

It is now essentially a presentation issue, with the UK eventually accepting that it cannot prevent borders no matter how comprehensive a trade deal is and of which the EU have many of different types.

The Prime Minister looks to be in a relatively strong position for the first time since her ill-fated decision to call an election in June 2017.

The hard Brexit coalition around former ministers Boris Johnson and David Davis doesn’t seem to command significant numbers of MPs beyond the 40 or so that have been aligned with them since before the referendum.

Brexit reality

There is a growing realisation among MPs across all parties in Westminster that the UK will not get to dictate the terms of its departure from the EU.

In fact, they have quite a weak negotiating hand with the border on the island of Ireland being their best card to negotiate with.

The EU is anxious to resolve this in the most favourable way possible for Irish trade and seem to be moving towards a more conciliatory approach in language on the issue and display a willingness to give an indication of how future trading relationships might shape up.

This is movement from the EU position that the withdrawal agreement would have to be finished before discussions on a future trading relationship could start.

Irish farmers will be watching most anxiously of all as the negotiations reach a climax. The agriculture sector is by far the most exposed, even though Ireland as a whole would suffer as much if not more in the event of a no-deal Brexit.