Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly was confident a Brexit deal could be achieved ahead of an EU summit to give the green light to the withdrawal agreement with the UK from the European side this Sunday.

MEP Kelly said he expected all EU member states to approve this initial agreement.

He also thinks UK prime minister Theresa May will secure backing for the deal in the British parliament in the coming weeks.

The debate will be in terms of "this is the plan, have you a better one", he said.

If the UK needs an extension past the 29 March deadline to approve the deal, MEP Kelly said the EU might agree to that, "but only if they thought there could be something to be gained from it".

"There is Brexit weariness creeping in here," he added.

"It has occupied so much time and energy and there has been so little give in the general public in the UK, especially in the media and the Brexiteers."

As the EU makes new subsidised loans available for investment projects, especially in the climate change area, Kelly said farming bodies, businesses and government organisations will be eligible for the funding.

He was also involved in negotiations on the recently passed renewable energy directive and said it represented a "huge opportunity" for farmers and communities, who will now have the right to produce their own renewable electricity.

Even if you were to cut emissions from agriculture to zero, it would have very little effect when you have transport growing and growing

He warned against singling out agriculture when targeting cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, as oil heating continues to be the most popular choice for new buildings and road transport is on the increase.

"Even if you were to cut emissions from agriculture to zero, it would have very little effect when you have transport growing and growing," he said.

Meanwhile, "the food would be produced in third countries where emissions are worse".

Climate plan

Yet Ireland needs to do more and is due to submit a detailed climate plan by the end of this year to the EU, which will check if it meets our obligations against the Paris climate agreement. "If not, it will be sent back," he warned.

Sean Kelly spoke with markets specialist Phelim O'Neill in Brussels this week. Read more about the renewable energy directive in next week's Irish Farmers Journal.