TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has expressed frustration over the British government's lack of clarity over its future relationship with the European Union.
Speaking following a two-day summit in Brussels, Mr Kenny said he hoped that the planned triggering of Article 50 later this month, which will begin the UK's process to leave the EU, will "bring further clarity".
It remains unclear what the UK's relationship with the EU customs union will be following Brexit.
"In order to deal with the consequences we have to know what the relationship that's being sought by Britain is, beyond having the closest possible relationship with the EU," Mr Kenny said.
He added that it would be a "political challenge" to ensure that the open border between the north and Republic is maintained after Brexit.
"What we know is that I have agreed, the British Government has agreed and the British Prime Minister has agreed that we are not going back to a hard border," he said.
"That is a political challenge. It is not beyond the ingenuity and the imaginative and creative capacity of both Irish and British officials to deal with that problem."
Asked whether he believed Britain would have to pay an exit bill of as much as €60 billion (£52 billion), Mr Kenny said: "I've never mentioned a figure in that regard".
"What is involved here is a principle and a methodology and out of that will come a figure," he said.
"That will have to be discussed and negotiated, and that's what will happen."
