Michael Barnier assures the Irish people that Brussel with work hard to protect their interest post-Brexit

Delivering his speech to both houses of the Irish parliament yesterday, Michael Barnier again reassured the people of Ireland how he try his possible best to avoid a hard during Brexit.

He used the moment to also acknowledge saying: "I am fully aware that some member states will be more affected than others.

"I want to reassure the Irish people: in this negotiation Ireland's interest will be the Union's interest ... Brexit changes the external borders of the EU.

"I will work with you to avoid a hard border."

In addressing both houses of parliament, Mr Barnier was given a privilege normally only afforded to visiting heads of state and prime ministers, joining luminaries like Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton.

He further stated that there was no reason why the EU and Britain cannot maintain a "strong relationship" post Brexit, but Brexit will unavoidably have costs.

Resounding comments made last week, Mr Barnier said Brexit would "come at a cost" to both the UK and the remaining 27 members of the EU, but his objective was to reach a "fair deal" with London.

Mr Barnier said: "If we put things in the right order, if we negotiate with mutual respect, without any kind of aggressivity ... if we are open to finding solutions, there is no reason why a strong Europe cannot maintain a strong relationship with the UK."

Knowing that Brexit poses particular issues to Ireland, he said: "I want to reassure the Irish people: in this negotiation Ireland's interest will be the union's interest.

"We are in this negotiation together and a united EU will be here for you."

He repeated the EU's position that the issue of the UK-Ireland border, citizens' rights and "the financial settlement" must be the first priorities for talks.

"We first must make sufficient progress on these points before we start discussing the future of our relationship with the UK.

"The sooner this will happen, the better.

"If the conditions are right, a close partnership with the UK is in everybody's interest. And in Ireland's interest in particular."