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| Executive agrees key priorities for government | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Northern Ireland Executive has finally agreed its programme for government. | The Northern Ireland Executive has finally agreed its programme for government. |
| Ministers completed the long-awaited document at around midnight at Stormont Castle on Wednesday. | |
| The Executive is pledging to provide one year's free pre-school education for all children in Northern Ireland. | |
| It also promises to provide loans to small and medium sized firms and intends to double glaze all housing executive homes. | |
| The programme features more than 70 commitments. | |
| It is believed ministers have agreed a job creation target higher than the 21,000 figure in an early draft. | It is believed ministers have agreed a job creation target higher than the 21,000 figure in an early draft. |
| Despite opposition from SDLP minister Alex Attwood and Ulster Unionist minister Danny Kennedy, the executive has decided that 11 rather than 15 new councils will replace the existing 26. | Despite opposition from SDLP minister Alex Attwood and Ulster Unionist minister Danny Kennedy, the executive has decided that 11 rather than 15 new councils will replace the existing 26. |
| It is believed there will be an election in 2014 but the councils will not become fully operational until the following year. | It is believed there will be an election in 2014 but the councils will not become fully operational until the following year. |
| The first and deputy first ministers are due to make a statement on the programme for government and investment strategy at a special assembly sitting on Thursday. | The first and deputy first ministers are due to make a statement on the programme for government and investment strategy at a special assembly sitting on Thursday. |
| The minister for enterpise will make a statement on the economic strategy. | The minister for enterpise will make a statement on the economic strategy. |
| 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. |
| 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 which 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 which 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. |