New deal means goods will flow freely into Northern Ireland - Donaldson

Half the time, my job is about reading the mood music and understanding how different political teams go about their work.

When Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street has been in the weeds of a complex problem and then things go quiet, even cagey, it is often a sign something is coming – and there is a growing confidence they are going to get it sorted.

That's what happened a year ago, when the Windsor Framework emerged. And it's happening again now.

One of the golden rules of UK politics is don’t predict the future in Northern Ireland.

Forgetting this is a remarkably efficient way of daubing your face in the scrambled stuff very publicly.

And – for political leaders – potentially unravelling something very delicately assembled.

And so voices in government talk of a cautious optimism, they’re encouraged but it’s delicate, etc etc.

But, this time, it is looking rather like it is happening.

Tomorrow will come the detail of what is planned, in what is known as a Command Paper. Here is a wholesome blurb about what they are.

On Thursday, there’ll be a debate in parliament and two Statutory Instruments will be laid to change the law. Talking of wholesome...

And after that, eyes will switch to Stormont.

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From the crack of dawn - literally, from 01:00 (GMT) - it's been a busy day.

As we near the end of this live page, here's a look back at what's happened:

• A new deal meaning no checks on most goods crossing from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be seen tomorrow, according to DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson
• He said most goods staying in Northern Ireland will not need checks or customs declarations
• He also indicated that more details will be shared tomorrow, having first announced the agreement in the early hours of Tuesday

• We heard plenty of reaction from politicians and political parties, with the Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O'Neill calling it "a day of optimism"
• And speaking from Westminster, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said all conditions were in place for power-sharing to return in Northern Ireland

• The DUP started boycotting Stormont's power-sharing government nearly two years ago in protest at post-Brexit trade arrangements

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald tells BBC Newsline it's good news to get an executive back, adding that the deal makes sense.

Asked if reform is necessary, to stop the power-sharing institutions collapsing in the future, she says: "I think the conversation around reform needs to happen - we need to protect the cornerstones of peace here."

Finally she's asked about the prospect of a first nationalist first minister in Northern Ireland when Stormont returns, given Sinn Féin is now the largest party.

"It is immense - it's welcome change," she says.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the 'Irish Sea border', the term used to describe trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, will be eliminated in terms of movement of goods by the party's deal with the government.

When asked on BBC Newsline whether it is "truly gone", he responds: "In terms of the movement of goods within the United Kingdom, absolutely, yes."

He adds no physical checks will be needed, unless there is suspicion of smuggling or criminal activity.

When asked about which of his party members could become deputy first minister, Donaldson says he hasn't "made any decision on that yet because we're not ready to restore the institutions - we want to be sure that the government takes the steps they've promised".

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When Stormont politicians do finally return they'll have full in-trays - and some want childcare to be a priority.

Families have criticised the gap between childcare provisions in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The chief executive for the charity Employers for Childcare, Marie Marin, says that while the potential return of the executive is welcome news, Northern Ireland's "long overdue" new childcare strategy would have to be at the very top of its agenda.

"We now need to see promises translated into policies that put pounds into the pockets of families, and investment into our critical childcare infrastructure – and very quickly," she says.

At the Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School in Newry, A-level and GCSE students were keen to share their thoughts on what a returning Stormont and its politicians need to do for the next generation.

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For A-level student Euan McKenzie, tackling the looming cost of university is a priority.

“The price of university needs to be sorted. It’s almost a certainty now that if you go to university you are going to be knee deep in debt," he says.

"It's just not affordable for some people and that’s limiting people’s career choices. I think people are definitely on the edge of making a decision of going or not going because they don’t know if they can afford it or not.”

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Ben Browne echoed Euan's sentiment - and believes there's under-funding, too.

“I find myself in that category as well," he says, adding that the cost of university is "one of the big factors that would deter me".

"I think the government needs to put more effort and funding into the arts.

"A lot is directed to things like the GAA [Gaelic Athletic Association], which I’m also passionate about. I know why money is directed to that sort of thing, but I see a distinct lack of funds for arts and creative elements."

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) says it’s “encouraged” by the potential restoration of the power-sharing and calls for the agri-food industry to be priority when devolved government returns.

UFU president David Brown says the absence of local government and ministers meant “many much-needed decisions” hadn’t been taken, on issues like investment and growth as well as key animal health issues such as bovine TB.

Brown says that was “frustrating”.

“We have yet to fully consider the details of the draft deal that has been proposed. We want to work with a new executive to see decisions made locally to protect our region and grow our economy for the benefit of everyone who lives here."

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We reported earlier that the "senior" DUP executive member behind leaking last night’s meeting to loyalist activist Jamie Bryson was wearing a wire.

According to a former MI6 intelligence officer, a secret recording device like this would be "very easy to procure".

"This is not, for example, like trying to get hold of a handgun or anything else untoward," Matthew Dunn tells BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme.

It is understood the party leadership thought the speech was being leaked via a mobile phone and asked that all devices be switched off. But the live feed continued to be posted on X.

Dunn says that if you did wish to interrupt someone using a wire "you have to search people".

As someone who used to use covert recording equipment, he says: "In terms of intercept or any form of disruption, largely my major concern wasn’t a signal being interrupted, it would rather more getting caught with it on my person."

Two of the most complex and contentious strands of contemporary politics in collision.

Northern Ireland and its painstaking path to peace. The UK’s departure from the European Union. Squaring one with the other has been the central challenge here.

Managing borders in a corner of Europe more alive than most to their import, history; symbolism, consequences. Attempts, in private, to assemble the multifarious moving parts to bring about an agreement.

Agreement between the government and the DUP. Agreement between the EU and the UK. Agreement among Conservatives. Agreement among the DUP. None of these easy. All of them together, hard.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has finally reached the point he can take the Democratic Unionist Party with him. Or at least most of it. And Sir Jeffrey is a man who knows all about noisy figures deciding their party is going further than they can stomach. He was once that very person, when, 20 years ago, he left the Ulster Unionist Party.

And so to the moment, perhaps before the week is out, which will eclipse much of the negotiation of recent months, and the noise of recent days. A Sinn Féin first minister, Michelle O’Neill.

Northern Ireland, a part of the UK, whose first minister aspires for it, one day, to be part of another state, the Republic of Ireland.

Politics is packed with precedents. But that will be something never seen before.

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For people in Larne, County Antrim, the mood in the predominantly unionist area is mostly content with news of a deal.

"It's about time" one passer-by tells the BBC.

"I'm very glad, I'm really pleased - we need it, we definitely need it - brilliant news," says another.

But some were more pressed on the matters at hand. "They need to get their finger out and get back to work," says one woman.

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Another woman says: "It's about time we all need to get on with things. You've only to look around these small towns and all the shut shops.

"I'm just hoping things will change now, I just don't know."

Others are not as positive. "It might get the executive back but sure what difference does it make? They're a waste of money to start with."

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The Labour Party says it is a "hopeful day" that power-sharing might be restored in Northern Ireland.

Shadow Science Secretary Peter Kyle says he hopes "all the political parties in Northern Ireland get the space they need to seal this deal" and that other political parties are "here to support in any which way we can".

"We've come close in the past and not quite got across the line," says Kyle, a former shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland.

"I urge (DUP leader) Jeffrey Donaldson, who has shown good leadership in getting this far... to keep going and do what it takes."

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the deal his party has agreed with the government will mean significant change for how trade operates between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Watch the clip above to see Donaldson addressing the media a short time ago.

There are two key observations to make right now about what we are seeing in Northern Ireland.

We are hearing reaction to a deal we haven't actually seen yet and we are perhaps days away from a Sinn Fein First Minister of Northern Ireland - a landmark moment in history.

All of this is about the collision of the complex politics of Northern Ireland and the complex politics of Brexit.

Brexit is all about where laws are made and where they are applied.

Enter next the complex politics and history of Northern Ireland - and so a desire to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, between Northern Ireland in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in the EU.

Now, we await the Command Paper. Does it sufficiently match, in its detail, the rhetoric those who have read it attach to it?

Read more of Chris Mason's blog here.

We've also had reaction from the GMB Union, who are calling for "clarity" over cuts and pay offers mentioned by the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

"We are effectively still in dispute," Alan Parry from the GMB union tells Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme.

You can watch and listen to that interview and more by clicking the play button on this live page.

While we know part of this financial package has been earmarked for public sector pay, unions are still concerned it won't go far enough.

Planned industrial action for later this week is still set to go ahead by public transport workers and school support staff on Thursday.

Susan Fitzgerald from Unite said: “As of now, the strikes are still going ahead. We want to see the detail, but even without getting into that, we know that there isn’t enough there to support our public services which are crumbling.”

The teachers union NASUWT’s Justin McCamphill echoed a similar reaction: “We don’t know what the implications are going to be for the long term funding of the public sector in Northern Ireland so we look forward to getting that detail.

"But this is an important move and we need our institutions restored.”

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The principle of power-sharing is what sets Northern Ireland apart from the UK's other nations.

It means that in any government there must be representatives from both the nationalist community - who favour unity with the Republic of Ireland - and unionists, who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK.

How does it work in practice?

A chamber of 90 members (MLAs) is elected to the assembly at least once every five years.

Northern Ireland has a first minister and a deputy first minister - one unionist, the other nationalist.

The executive, or cabinet, is multi-party - and ministers are drawn from unionist, nationalist and non-aligned parties, based on how many seats they have won in an election.

This also means that politicians from smaller parties can be appointed as ministers.

• You can read more about power-sharing here

A spokeswoman for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he told Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in a phone call today that he was confident Northern Ireland's power sharing government could be restored soon.

"The prime minister said was he was confident that the steps taken paved the way for the restoration of power sharing in the Northern Ireland executive," Sunak's spokeswoman said.

"Both leaders agreed it was in the people of Northern Ireland's interest to have a stable, devolved government and this was also beneficial to relations between the UK and Ireland."

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Simon Coveney, Ireland’s minister for enterprise, trade, and employment, says the Irish government has not seen a draft of a deal agreed between the DUP and the UK government to restore power-sharing.

However, he says his government has “been given reassurance that any new arrangements that are being put in place won’t do anything to undermine the Windsor Framework or the trade agreements that have been put in place to facilitate trade between Ireland and UK and the EU and the UK”.

Coveney tells BBC’s Evening Extra Programme the deal is a “really good news story”.

He says that the Irish government would “do everything we can to be constructive, to be helpful, and to help a new re-established Stormont... to be successful”.

Going into a bit more detail on what changes have already been implemented by endorsing this deal, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson discusses the EU and UK bodies, which oversee the Windsor Framework, reaching an agreement that will allow NI importers to bring in some food exports at reduced tariffs.

He says the deal "ensures Northern Ireland benefits fully from UK free trade deals - key elements in our requirements, in our negotiations with the government".

"I believe that what we have delivered is significant, on checks on goods moving between GB and NI and staying within the UK there will no longer be physical checks or identity checks save where, as is normal anywhere in the UK, there are suspicions of smuggling or criminal activity.

"On customs paperwork again, customs declarations, supplementary declarations will be gone and we believe this represents a significant change.

"Some people said you’re going to take the green lane, paint it red white and blue and put a flag on it – well if someone wants to put a flag on it, whatever.

"But as far as we’re concerned the green lane will go and be replaced by the UK internal market system that reflects the reality that NI is part of the UK, that goods flowing within the UK flow freely, that was our core key objective."