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, RTE's podcast on Brexit.

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

I'm Sean Wheelan, RTE's correspondent in London. And I'm Colom O'Mongown RTE's Deputy Foreign Editor in Dublin. Each week, Brexit Republic brings you all the latest developments

from London, Brussels and here in Dublin. Close but no cigar. The European Commission says 95%

of the future relationship treaty is complete, but it's that 5% gap which remains unbridgeable.

We'll look at exactly what is holding things up and what happens if both sides run out of time.

Spoiler alert, the lawyers are going to get very busy in the next few weeks.

We'll explore one option which appears to be gaining ground at the idea of applying the treaty

provisionally from January 1st and then formally ratifying it later. But that opens up the Pandora's

box of what kind of treaty it is and whether or not national parliaments might or should end up having a say

on the Brexit treaty. And it's been a busy week for the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Houses of Parliament,

with supermarkets and cross-border crime dominating two vivid hearings before the Lords and the Commons.

Well, first, Tony, bring us right up to speed.

The co-repair meeting, the meeting, the briefing to European Union member state ambassadors happened this

morning. What did we learn? We learned quite a lot. Column, actually, it was a fairly detailed

...