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Leo Varadkar to meet Boris Johnson next week to 'try and get a deal'

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tries his hand at ploughing with Colman Cogan and his two horses Ned and Ted from Sligo during the National Ploughing Championships in Co Carlow 
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tries his hand at ploughing with Colman Cogan and his two horses Ned and Ted from Sligo during the National Ploughing Championships in Co Carlow  Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tries his hand at ploughing with Colman Cogan and his two horses Ned and Ted from Sligo during the National Ploughing Championships in Co Carlow 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to meet British prime minister Boris Johnson to discuss Brexit at a meeting in the United States next week.

Both men will be at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Speaking today at the National Ploughing Championships in Co Carlow, Mr Varadkar said the two men would "try and get a deal" when they meet in the US.

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said today: "The taoiseach and PM have been in contact and hope to meet in New York next week."

Earlier today, Tánaiste Simon Coveney warned there remained a "significant gap" between Britain and the EU in terms of agreeing a Brexit deal.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin expressed hope a "Northern Ireland-specific solution" could pave the way to a Brexit deal.

Mr Martin urged both sides in the negotiations to indulge in less "megaphone diplomacy and triumphalism", and focus on securing an agreement that will protect livelihoods in the UK and Ireland.

Also attending the National ploughing Championships, Mr Martin said: "In my view, there are clear ideas as to where this is heading, it is heading towards a Northern Ireland-specific solution.

"The difficulty will be in finalising that, but that's where it is heading.

"I think Brussels knows that, I think the Irish government knows that, I think the British government knows that."

He added: "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to say that you can move from a UK-wide backstop to a Northern Ireland-specific solution."