The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is in Brussels for a series of Brexit-related meetings.
He will look to firm up support for the Irish position on the backstop.
He has held talks with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk.
Later he will meet with the head of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, as well as chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
Back in Brussels today for a series of key #Brexit meetings, starting with â¦@eucopresident Donald Tuskâ©. I’ll be thanking him for the ongoing â¦@EUCouncilâ© support for #Ireland and discussing current situation pic.twitter.com/TO2FUlA2Qk
— Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) February 6, 2019
Mr Varadkar will also meet with Ireland's EU Commissioner Phil Hogan, with the threat of no-deal to agriculture to the fore of farmers fears.
The Taoiseach has said he will thank the EU officials for their solidarity with Ireland and support for the backstop.
He will also discuss contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit and the support that will be needed from Europe in that case.
His visit comes just 24 hours before British Prime Minister Theresa May makes her own trip to Brussels, in a bid to win changes to the withdrawal agreement.
But the Government and EU has warned that so far she has put no workable solutions on the table.
