The Fianna Fáil leader has insisted he will not allow the Taoiseach to dictate timelines on an extension to the confidence and supply arrangement.

The two men discussed the deal at a meeting in Dublin today.

In a statement, Fianna Fáil said negotiating teams from both parties would be appointed in the coming days, with talks due to get underway next week.

Both leaders have already agreed that neither side should bring down the Government while Brexit talks remain in the balance.

In a letter to the Taoiseach on Friday, Micheál Martin warned that holding an election while Brexit talks are entering their most critical phase would create “dangerous instability.”

For his part, Leo Varadkar said securing a legally operable backstop with the UKs Withdrawal Agreement remains the Government’s top priority.

He claimed that extending the confidence and supply arrangement is the best way to ensure stability.

Micheál Martin has insisted that the talks must include a thorough review of the effect of the deal over the last three years.

Speaking after the Taoiseach suggested a new deal could be in place by the Halloween break, he warned that he won’t enter talks with any preconditions.

“I don’t want to get into any more timelines of, ‘is it going to be this month or that month,’” he said.

“It is going to be a substantive review; it has to be detailed and it has to be substantive.

“I have made my position clear, I am not going to be governed by timelines.

“The Taoiseach and myself spoke last Tuesday on this. He agreed with me that there be no pre-conditions and I am not accepting any.

Mr Varadkar is due to travel to Brussels tomorrow with Brexit set to dominate the Summit of EU leaders.