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| Special executive meeting to finalise programme for government | Special executive meeting to finalise programme for government |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The executive is holding a special meeting on Wednesday evening to finalise its programme for government and its investment strategy. | The executive is holding a special meeting on Wednesday evening to finalise its programme for government and its investment strategy. |
| Ministers are working late to reach agreement ahead of a special assembly session on Thursday. | |
| Agreement has now been reached on the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA). | Agreement has now been reached on the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA). |
| It is understood plans to reduce the number of councils from 26 to 11 have also been agreed. | It is understood plans to reduce the number of councils from 26 to 11 have also been agreed. |
| A well-placed source told the BBC that the decision went ahead despite objections from the environment minister Alex Attwood and the regional development minister Danny Kennedy. | A well-placed source told the BBC that the decision went ahead despite objections from the environment minister Alex Attwood and the regional development minister Danny Kennedy. |
| It is believed there will be more than 70 commitments, including the creation of thousands of new jobs over the next four years and significant commitments around foreign direct investment and research and development. | It is believed there will be more than 70 commitments, including the creation of thousands of new jobs over the next four years and significant commitments around foreign direct investment and research and development. |
| There is also expected to be help for small firms, the creative industries and families facing hardship. | There is also expected to be help for small firms, the creative industries and families facing hardship. |
| An early draft of the programme, leaked to the BBC, indicated jobs and economic recovery were top of the agenda. | An early draft of the programme, leaked to the BBC, indicated jobs and economic recovery were top of the agenda. |
| It also proposed moving 114,000 people off benefits and into jobs by March 2015. | It also proposed moving 114,000 people off benefits and into jobs by March 2015. |
| There have been several drafts of the programme for government one of which was seen by the BBC and which, fairly predictably, put job creation at the top of the agenda. | There have been several drafts of the programme for government one of which was seen by the BBC and which, fairly predictably, put job creation at the top of the agenda. |
| We would imagine that will be the case in the final document not least because it will be accompanied by separate economic and investment strategies. | We would imagine that will be the case in the final document not least because it will be accompanied by separate economic and investment strategies. |
| We will have to look at what kind of targets they set because these are the parameters by which you judge a government in the future. | We will have to look at what kind of targets they set because these are the parameters by which you judge a government in the future. |
| The executive delivered its budget in the spring, but the programme for government that sets out its priorities has taken longer. | The executive delivered its budget in the spring, but the programme for government that sets out its priorities has taken longer. |
| The investment strategy is being adjusted following the Irish government's decision to postpone the £400m it had promised to build the A5 dual carriageway. | The investment strategy is being adjusted following the Irish government's decision to postpone the £400m it had promised to build the A5 dual carriageway. |
| On Wednesday afternoon, the first and deputy first minister welcomed an agreement that the ESA should go ahead by July next year. | On Wednesday afternoon, the first and deputy first minister welcomed an agreement that the ESA should go ahead by July next year. |
| It will replace eight different education authorities. | It will replace eight different education authorities. |
| Earlier, BBC Northern Ireland political editor Mark Devenport said it would be interesting to see if "particular targets are set" in the programme for government "which are directly in contravention of what particular ministers want". | Earlier, BBC Northern Ireland political editor Mark Devenport said it would be interesting to see if "particular targets are set" in the programme for government "which are directly in contravention of what particular ministers want". |