Northern Ireland's business leaders on Thursday lashed out at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's new Brexit plan as costly and unworkable.
Johnson's strategy would tackle the Irish border issue by taking Northern Ireland -- part of the United Kingdom -- out of the European Union's customs union but keeping it aligned with EU member Ireland's rules and regulations for goods.
"The Prime Minister's long awaited proposal is hugely disappointing," said Aodhon Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium industry body.
"It is clear that he has not listened to the needs of the Northern Ireland business community or Northern Ireland households."
"That's because they ask food and drink businesses operating in Northern Ireland to pay -- through new bureaucracy and costs -- for the government's inability to agree a comprehensive exit deal."
"While the creation of a regulatory zone is welcome, for reasons we all understand frictionless trade on the island of Ireland must mean just that, with no possibility of a hard border. No firm wants to face friction on two fronts."