"If there is an entirely new proposal coming from the UK, I think undoubtedly it would need a lot more time to be considered on the EU side and that would probably involve an extension of Article 50 or pulling Article 50 for the moment," Coveney told RTE television when asked how the EU would react to a British parliamentary majority for an alternative to the current deal.

"But I think that would be a big decision for the UK to make and (British Prime Minister) Theresa May has said she doesn't want to do that," Coveney said.