The UK's Brexit minister David Frost has said that his government's preference is to strike a deal to improve post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland and that agreement can be reached by Christmas.

Britain and the EU agreed last week to intensify efforts to solve issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The EU cautiously welcomed a change in tone from London, though Mr Frost said "significant gaps" remained.

"I think it can be done, whether it will be done is another question," Mr Frost told BBC Northern Ireland when asked if a deal could be reached by Christmas.

He added that triggering emergency safeguard measures remains "a very real option".

Article 16 of the protocol allows either side to unilaterally suspend elements of the deal if it creates serious economic, societal or environmental problems.

The arrangement effectively keeps Northern Ireland inside the EU's single market for goods, resulting in some checks for products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.

RTE News has more on the protocol.