Arlene Foster says Brexit negotiations "don't appear to be going particularly well".
The transition period for striking a deal between the EU and the UK runs out in January, with an extension only able to be requested this month.
However, the Tánaiste Simon Coveney has told the Business Post extending the negotiating time would be "counter-productive".
The DUP campaigned for Brexit in the 2016 referendum and the Fermanagh-South Tyrone MLA critical of how the first phase of talks were conducted.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, DUP leader Arlene Foster says getting a deal that works for Northern Ireland is important for her: