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The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, spoke by phone this evening.

They discussed Brexit and, in particular, the draft Withdrawal Agreement.

Both the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister said they want the options, as set out in the December Joint Report, to be examined in detail. This would include the preferred option of a satisfactory solution to the border problem being found within the overall future relationship between the EU and the UK.

The Taoiseach also repeated the necessity from the EU side to have the detail of the backstop option of full regulatory alignment spelled out in the draft legal text of the Withdrawal Agreement. This option would only come into effect if agreement on one of the other options is not reached.

They also took stock of the latest situation in Northern Ireland and their recent contacts with the parties.