Irish PM says no deal yet on Brexit protocol

British and European Union negotiators have been holding constructive talks but no deal has been reached on post-Brexit trade rules relating to Northern Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Wednesday.

Varadkar was responding to a question in parliament about a report in The Times newspaper that Britain and the European Union had struck a customs deal that could help end post-Brexit wrangling over Northern Ireland.

"I can confirm that, notwithstanding newspaper reports, no deal has yet been done between the EU and the UK," Varadkar said.