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Boris Johnson is preparing to hand over up to £2billion as part of a deal to get Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive up and running, according to reports.

Sinn Fein and the DUP have finally agreed a deal which ends the three-year impasse but it has involved compromise on both sides and a huge financial settlement for the region.

Today the Prime Minister is jetting to Belfast to hold talks with DUP First Minister Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill at Stormont.

Mr Johnson can expect to face questions on the financial promises the Government made as part of efforts to get the "New Decade, New Approach" agreement over the line.

Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith pledged major investment to alleviate problems in the region's struggling public services.

He declined to confirm the sums involved until a deal was done but reports in the Times suggest Downing Street is willing to hand over up to £2 billion.

The public sector in the region that has been floundering amid the 36-month governance vacuum.

Top of the new executive's in-tray is the health service which is facing a breakdown, with more than 100,000 of a population of 1.9 million people on hospital waiting lists for more than a year.

Less than half of all cancer patients start treatment within two months and some wait eight years for a hip replacement.

The problems have been compounded by an industrial dispute in the health service that has seen nurses take strike action on three occasions in the last month.

Under the terms of the deal, the new executive will also take action to extend mitigation payments for benefit claimants hit by welfare reforms; increase the number of police officers on the beat; and resolve an industrial dispute involving teachers.

The Irish government has also made financial pledges within the agreement to honour commitments to part-fund some north/south projects, such as the A5 dual carriageway and a redevelopment of the Ulster canal system.

(Image: PA)

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster said she would "not put a figure" on how much money she will demand when she meets Boris Johnson in Belfast.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Foster said the six counties of Northern Ireland required funding to properly resource public services and invest in infrastructure after parties agreed a deal to re-open the Stormont Assembly last week.

She said: "It's a composite figure. There's a need to make sure that we have the resources, resources not just for one year but over a number of years so that we don't face a cliff edge in another year.

"But as well as that, we need to have capital investment. We have a huge hole in our infrastructure, particularly in our water infrastructure which we need to fix.

"It's a package that will have to be capital and resource, and I think the Prime Minister is very much aware of what we need."

Asked whether the figure being asked for was up to £2 billion, the DUP leader said she was "not going to put a figure on it because I think it is important that we get the right figure".

Downing Street said the details of the financial offer to Northern Ireland are still being worked out.Boris Johnson’s spokesman said: “The financial details are still being finalised.”

He added details will be announced in due course after talks between the Northern Ireland Secretary and the Executive.

Ahead of the visit Boris Johnson described it as an "historic time for the people of Northern Ireland".

(Image: PA)

Discussions at Stormont today are expected to look at "critical reforms" to public services.

"This is an historic time for the people of Northern Ireland," he said before the visit.

"After three years, Stormont is open for business again with an executive who can now move forward with improving people's lives and delivering for all communities in Northern Ireland.

"I look forward to meeting with the new executive and hearing about their plans for the future including driving forward much needed reforms to public services and resolving the current health strike.

"The next decade will be an incredible time of opportunity for Northern Ireland and the whole of the United Kingdom as we come together to unleash the potential of our four nations."

The last DUP/Sinn Fein-led coalition government collapsed in January 2017 over a row about a botched green energy scheme.

That row subsequently widened to take in more traditional wrangles on matters such as the Irish language and the thorny legacy of the Troubles.

Downing Street ducked questions over whether there would still be a specific, standalone law to end “vexatious” claims against troops in Northern Ireland.

The PM’s official spokesman would also not be drawn on how “vexatious” would be defined.

It comes after the Tories pledged to end vexatious legal claims dating back to the Troubles in their manifesto.

The PM’s spokesman insisted nothing in the deal struck between Northern Ireland parties to restore powersharing would compromise the manifesto.

He said: “The government’s manifesto commitments will be met.”