Plans for an all-Ireland forum to discuss the fallout from Brexit have fallen through – after being blocked by the North’s First Minister.

Enda Kenny’s department had floated the idea of setting up a new group to discuss the issues on both sides of the border.

But the plan was not even proposed at a joint meeting of ministers today, with unionists opposed to the very idea.

First Minister Arlene Foster has said there are other ways to raise issues without needing an all-Ireland forum: “I think what the media are looking at today is about the mechanisms of how we do that.

“For my part, I believe there are more than enough mechanisms by which we can discuss these issues, on a north, south basis.

“And frankly I don’t believe we need any mechanisms because we can lift the phone to each other on a daily basis if that were so needed to have these discussions.”