Speaking alongside Ireland Taoiseach Dr. Leo Varadkar in Brussels on Wednesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said that the EU will not be making any new offer to UK PM Theresa May to help her get her Brexit plan through the UK Parliament.

We understand this to mean that EU Brexit negotiators intend to stand firm on the need for a permanent Irish "backstop" as part of an UK exit deal - without which some form of hard Ireland-NI border would likely return, dealing a significant blow to tourism in both countries and the Good Friday Agreement as well.