DUP deal aimed at restoring power sharing in Northern Ireland is published

Details of a deal between the UK government and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to restore devolution in Northern Ireland have been published.

The DUP has been boycotting Stormont’s power-sharing government for two years in protest at post-Brexit trade rules.

The deal will reduce checks and paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The changes apply to GB goods which are staying in NI and will mean no routine checks on those goods.

Those changes will require agreement of UK-EU Joint Committee which oversees the Northern Ireland Brexit deal.

The DUP demanded changes to the way goods are traded between Northern Ireland and Great Britain in order for it to end its Stormont stand-off.

On Monday night, the DUP’s 120-strong executive agreed to endorse the deal.

On Tuesday, the UK-EU Joint Committee reached agreement to make changes to the deal to allow Northern Ireland to benefit from UK free trade agreements.

The government will also introduce two pieces of legislation to guarantee Northern Ireland goods can be sold in Great Britain in all circumstances and to affirm Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.

Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal, the Windsor Framework, keeps it inside the EU’s single market for goods.

That prevented a post-Brexit trade border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

However, it has meant the introduction of checks and controls on goods from Great Britain.

That has angered unionists and led the DUP to boycott Northern Ireland’s power-sharing administration.