Bertie Ahern, co-architect of the Good Friday Agreement, said that ending the Northern Ireland Protocol was "not rocket science," but compromise is needed.
However, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has formed a strategic alliance with the European Research Group of MPs to oppose any deal that forces Northern Ireland to follow EU trade regulations.
On Sunday, the DUP MP Sammy Wilson and the MP and European Research Group deputy leader, David Jones, warned that any settlement that saw Northern Ireland continuing what they referred to as a "semi-colonial status" would be unacceptable, casting doubt on the likelihood of any imminent resolution.
The row over the Northern Ireland protocol shows no signs of being resolved anytime soon, with the DUP laying down seven stringent conditions for a deal, and their recent alliance with the European Research Group of MPs adding to the complexity of the matter.
While Bertie Ahern has remarked that an agreement is "not rocket science," the opposing parties disagree on what is acceptable.
The DUP has never supported the Northern Ireland protocol or any sort of regulatory divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The party's seven-point plan calls for the suspension of the protocol and the creation of a new long-term agreement, as well as an arbitration system, among other things.
The European Research Group, on the other hand, sees the Northern Ireland protocol as a betrayal of the Good Friday Agreement and calls for its cancellation, which will ensure unfettered trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The MPs are expected to vote through amendments to the trade bill this week, which would give them greater power to decide what regulations are applied in Northern Ireland.
Ahern's assertion that a deal can be reached through "compromise" implies that both parties must make concessions.
However, the DUP and the European Research Group's public statements suggest that no middle ground has been established yet, and finding one might not be simple.