Arlene Foster has said that the Good Friday Agreement could be altered to accommodate a Brexit deal.
The DUP leader said that making sure the North is not treated any differently to the rest of the UK after Brexit is the DUP's priority.
She claimed the peace deal was not a “sacrosanct piece of legislation.”
She told the Telegraph newspaper: “It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can’t touch the Belfast Agreement.
“Things evolve, even in the EU context."
She claimed it was a “misinterpretation” to hold the Belfast peace agreement up as sacrosanct.
Ms Foster said: "Nobody wants to see a no-deal situation and that's why we've been supporting the Prime Minister in trying to get a deal with the European Union.
"It's been a very difficult time in terms of the negotiations, but it's very important for me, obviously for Northen Ireland, to ensure there are no borders created internally in terms of the United Kingdom, and that really has been what we are talking about this week."
Sinn Féin have said her comments are "reckless", with the party's leader, Mary Lou McDonald, saying the Good Friday Agreement cannot be used as a "bargaining chip" in negotiations.
Sinn Féin Brexit spokesperson David Cullinane said it is a very worrying development.
“All of the rhetoric that has come from the British Government and the British Prime Minister up to now has been that there will be no border and there will be no inspections or checks at the border,” he said.
“That has been made clear time and again by Theresa May.
“So if there is a change in Government policy she needs to say it and she has to come out and be very clear and very honest with people.”
