A permanent solution aimed at avoiding a hard border post-Brexit must be agreed at the meeting of EU leaders later this month.
That's the view of Sinn Fein MEP, Matt Carty, who is concerned the issue may not be resolved until the autumn.
Differences remain between EU and British negotiators over a back-stop proposal to avoid physical border infrastructure in Ireland, once Britain leaves the European Union.
Matt Carthy is a Midlands North-West MEP, he says people are looking for certainty and clarity in order to plan for the future:
Out words: actually increase