The EU and Republic of Ireland are "intensifying" discussions about the Irish border in the event of a no-deal Brexit, senior EU officials have said. On Monday, the European Commission said it believed a no-deal outcome was now looking increasingly likely. The EU said it would expect the UK to "live up to its commitments to avoiding a hard border". The prime minister has said Northern Ireland is unable to prepare properly for a no-deal Brexit. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Theresa May said she had wanted to deliver Brexit on 29 March. "But, I'm conscious of my duties as prime minister to all parts of our United Kingdom and of the damage to that union leaving without a deal could do, when one part of it is without devolved government and unable therefore to prepare properly," she said. Former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson said he was surprised to learn that Northern Ireland had not been able to prepare properly. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) deputy leader Nigel Dodds accused Mrs May of a "fundamental lack of preparation" and said "the government is entirely responsible for that". The prime minister said it "would not have been appropriate" for no-deal to go ahead on 29 March because "the Northern Ireland civil service do not have the powers to take necessary decisions in the event of no deal". Mrs May told MPs a no-deal Brexit would require some "direct application of powers" from Westminster to Northern Ireland. "If there is no Stormont government, if powers are needed and ministerial direction is needed which is not available to the civil servants currently, it would require some form of direct application of powers here from Westminster," she said. AFP.