What does the Downing St deal mean for NI?

Our Political Correspondent Jordan Moates looks at what the £1.5bn deal between the DUP and the Conservatives will actually mean for Northern Ireland.

Press Association
Published 26th Jun 2017
Last updated 26th Jun 2017

Well the top line figure is £1.5bn and that's going to help a number of different areas.

In Health and Education £100m will be set aside over the next two years to address immediate pressures.

A further £200m over the same period will also be allocated to support the delivery of Health Service transformation.

Mental Health will get a £50m boost over the next five years - in recognition of the impact of Northern Ireland's past.

Over the same period £100m will also be used to target pockets of severe deprivation.

In terms of infrastructure - £400m over the next two years will see things like the York Street Interchange Project in Belfast go ahead along with other priorities.

By 2019 £150m will have been invested in providing ultra-fast broadband to open up new opportunities for businesses and consumers here.

Options are also being looked at for the delivery of a reduction in Corporation Tax - which could potentially be listed in the Autumn Budget.

City deals and enterprise zones are also on the agenda along with a report into reducing tourism VAT and Air Passenger Duty at our airports.

Of course, the deal at Downing Street is not the only negotiation on Arlene Foster's plate at the moment - the issue of restoring devolution here now becomes more pressing as Thursday's deadline rapidly approaches.

Mrs Foster will be back in Belfast on Monday afternoon for negotiations at Stormont.

"This afternoon I will be returning to Northern Ireland to continue our discussions as we attempt to re-establish the Northern Ireland executive. Because now more than ever our political leaders both locally and nationally need to work together to find solutions for all of the people we serve."

And looking at this deal with the Tories some of the language is interesting.

Numerous times it refers to the "Executive" spending all of this money but of course there is no executive at the moment.

So the question to be asked is - will Northern Ireland only get this financial boost if there is a deal? If that is the case it will really put pressure on Sinn Fein in the final days of these negotiations.