The Tánaiste says the Government does not want to veto the progression of Brexit talks, but insists that more progress on the border issue is needed.
Simon Coveney said they do not want to delay negotiations moving on to phase two.
However, he again stressed that Britain needs to offer solutions on avoiding a hard border with Northern Ireland.
His comments to the BBC's Andrew Marr come ahead of a key meeting tomorrow between British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean Claude-Juncker.
It is seen as a deadline for the British government to makes offers on the three key issues of the Irish border, EU citizens' rights and the Brexit 'divorce bill' ahead of a crucial summit of EU leaders later this month.
Minister Coveney says the Irish Government "certainly don't want to be vetoing anything".
He observed: "There is no desire, I can tell you, in Ireland to delay this process.
"At the same time, we have a responsibility as a government to represent the interests on the island of Ireland, north and south."
"We certainly don't want to be vetoing anything" - Irish Deputy PM says their government has no desire to delay #Brexit process #Marr https://t.co/YAHLq3ZNqR pic.twitter.com/ErdnHUggPY
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) December 3, 2017
