In all areas, the UK continues to backtrack.

The European Union argues that we should be subject to rules of the club that we have left.

The precondition is the level playing field.

We can deliver a real Brexit that achieves our objectives.

But if there is not a deal, we still need the Irish protocol or the Northern Irish protocol fully implemented.

I'm going to miss being the pantomime villain. protocol or the Northern Irish protocol fully implemented.

I'm going to miss being the pantomime villain.

Hello and welcome to Brexit Republic RTEs podcast on Brexit.

I'm Tony Connolly, RTE's Europe editor in Brussels.

I'm Sean Wheeland, RTE's London correspondent in Westminster. And I'm Cullumonghounguyen RTE's Deputy Foreign Editor, normally in Dublin, currently at home in Kildare.

Each week, Brexit Republic assesses all the latest Brexit developments in Brussels, London and in Dublin.

We're back after a summer break, not that it really felt like one.

We'll assess the tumultuous developments of August with the

shock resignation of Ireland's EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and what it might mean. And we look back at

what EU officials at least are calling the wasted summer in the Brexit negotiations. How bad did

things get between both sides? And what are the chances of a deal on the future relationship

with less than two months to go before the end of October deadline? We'll also assess the fear

and loathing amongst the UK's freight sector over how well or otherwise British ports

would be prepared to cope with the new reality on January 1st deal or no deal. But first, former Commissioner Phil Hogan, Tony,

you did two interviews with him in short succession. There was a notably different tone in one

than there was in the other. Obviously, in the latter one, he was announcing his resignation.

How does it affect what we're talking about in this podcast, Brexit? Was he really incidental to the whole thing?

...