This is what the DUP executive members are being briefed on tonight - and the contours of a possible agreement has begun to emerge over the last few days, as BBC News NI economics editor John Campbell wrote over the weekend.

While the party wants to see the end of the "Irish Sea border", the post-Brexit trade frictions between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the government is not going to include that in a deal - but it is offering measures to tackle its effects.

These could possibly include:

• Limiting divergence with EU rules, so lessening the amount of checks needed on goods
• New legislation to strengthen "unfettered access" for Northern Ireland goods going to Great Britain
• Renaming a proposed green lane - the one used for goods going from Great Britain destined for sale in Northern Ireland - to the "UK Internal Market Lane"
• A new body that could promote trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK

You can read more of John's analysis here.

Earlier, we reported that Jamie Bryson, a loyalist blogger who has called on the DUP not to agree a deal with the government, was live tweeting what he claimed was being discussed at the party's executive meeting.

One of his posts claimed that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the meeting the police were trying to "block phone signals" in the venue.

A PSNI spokesperson has told BBC News NI it has no involvement in this.

Image source, PA Media

As we can see from the protesters outside the DUP meeting, there are some within unionism who are dead set against a deal with the government at this stage.

But who are they and why are they opposed?

One major driver behind the opposition has been the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) and its leader Jim Allister.

The party's electoral strength may be less prominent than the DUP's - at the last assembly election, it had one member elected (Allister) compared to 28 for the DUP and 10 for the Ulster Unionist Party.

But it holds influence with those in unionism who will not accept any deal which does not include the end of the "Irish Sea border", a term used to describe the checks set up post-Brexit on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Allister has previously said that if the DUP agree a deal to return to Stormont, the party would be "betraying the seven tests on future post-Brexit trade arrangements".

Jamie Bryson, a loyalist blogger who is claiming to be live tweeting the DUP meeting, is also a well-known activist and campaigner who has called on the party to reject a deal and stay out of Stormont until certain demands are met.

It's this level of opposition that DUP members who want a return to power-sharing government will have to overcome.

More protesters have joined those at Larchfield in the past hour, with plenty of 'DUP sellout' placards and a banner featuring a 1921 quote from Sir Edward Carson, one of the most famous leaders in the history of unionism.

Carson became the face and voice of unionist opposition to home rule in 1912 and his statue is outside Parliament Buildings, at Stormont.

The banner reads: "Your interests lie with Great Britain. You have helped her, and you have helped her empire, and her empire belongs just as much to you as it does to England. Stick to it, and trust the British people."

It's been a busy evening for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and the DUP.

Here's a round-up of what's been happening:

• DUP executive members arriving at Larchfield Estate are being briefed by their party leader on the contents of a possible deal, which could see the return of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland
• BBC News NI understands that the party's 12-strong officer board have already made a decision on a deal and that executive members will be informed of their decision tonight
• Loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson has been live tweeting what he claims is the latest from inside the room, claiming that the meeting was halted over media leaks
• Protesters outside the entrance of Larchfield Estate, where the meeting is taking place, have greeted DUP members with heckles, jeers and placards proclaiming "DUP sellout"
• Earlier, Sir Jeffrey met party MPs and peers at DUP HQ in east Belfast ahead of travelling to Larchfield
• We're expecting him to speak to the media after the meeting ends, although that could be hours away yet

Gareth Gordon
BBC News NI Political Correspondent

Image source, Pacemaker

It’s supposed to be a secret meeting in a secure location - members of the DUP executive weren’t even told the venue until a few hours before to keep business away from the prying media.

In reality its turned into a nightmare with the loyalist blogger, Jamie Bryson, tweeting out what he claims are detailed updates from inside the room.

Mr Bryson claims the meeting had to be halted and descended into “mayhem” as Sir Jeffrey appeared to comment on leaks, and Bryson's tweets, in real time. According to the blogger's posts, he described them as a "blow-by-blow" account.

If the leaks are accurate, it's clear Sir Jeffrey believes the time for negotiating is over - although at least one person inside the room is determined to make his job even more difficult.

Image source, MARK MARLOW/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Following that breaking news line, let's have a look at who's at tonight's DUP meeting - and who's holds the balance of power when it comes to decision making.

The meeting at Larchfield involves the party's 120 or so executive members. But the executive is different from the 12-strong party officer board - and it's this board who will hold huge influence on whether a deal happens or not.

It is made up the party leader and 11 other people including MPs, peers and assembly members. If a majority of the board back a deal, then it's all that much more likely that it will be ratified by executive members.

Earlier today it was understood the board was not meeting today - making it unlikely we'd hear if a deal was agreed or not. But now it's believed the officers have already decided, so we may hear something more definitive later, depending on how the Larchfield meeting goes.

The board members are Sir Jeffrey, Gavin Robinson, Lord Morrow, Edwin Poots, Michelle McIlveen, Gregory Campbell, Diane Forsythe, Gordon Lyons, Emma Little-Pengelly, Carla Lockhart, Lord Dodds and Sammy Wilson.

Read more about them here.

Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor

The DUP's party officers have already made a decision on a deal aimed at restoring power sharing, BBC News NI understands.

A deal cannot be signed off without the 12-strong party officer group and it is believed they met on the issue at the end of last week.

It is not clear if there was a vote taken, but it is understood Sir Jeffrey Donaldson had the support of the majority of officers ahead of that meeting.

The party leader is expected to tell executive members tonight about the decision taken by the party officers and they may be asked to ratify it.

However, if there is support for a return to power sharing then it's likely to be conditional on the government tabling any legislation promised in the deal.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

Larchfield Estate is on the outskirts of Lisburn, in the DUP leader’s constituency of Lagan Valley.

By day it is a wedding venue but tonight but there may not be much cause for celebration.

A handful of protesters with placards saying “stop DUP sellout” have turned up, hoping to make things as uncomfortable as possible for Sir Jeffrey.

The above video shows protesters heckling DUP assembly member Emma Little-Pengelly as she drove in.

Image source, PA Media

The DUP leader arrived for the meeting at Larchfield Estate in the last few minutes.

He came straight there from a meeting with party MPs and peers at DUP headquarters in east Belfast, which he left about half an hour ago.

It means tonight's meeting is kicking off a little later than thought, as it was understood it would start at about 7pm.

Northern Ireland has been without devolved government for nearly two years after the DUP withdrew from power in February 2022.

Under the power-sharing rules that underpins government in Northern Ireland, there can be no government without the largest parties of unionism and nationalism - currently the DUP and Sinn Féin.

The DUP boycott is about post-Brexit trade checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, currently known as the Windsor Framework - the party believes these rules diminish the region's place within the UK internal market (and, by extension, Northern Ireland's place within the Union).

The party has been in talks with the government for months seeking further changes to the framework in exchange for the restoration of devolution. It is believed the government has tabled a number of proposals, which party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is briefing the party's executive members on tonight.

If the party does not agree to a deal, then it will put the onus back on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris. If the government is not restored by 8 February, Mr Heaton-Harris is under legal obligation to call an early Stormont election. However he has already pushed this deadline back several times

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

Protestors have gathered at Larchfield Estate ahead of the DUP executive meeting, despite the fact the entrance is in pitch black darkness and security are present.

Members of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) are here - it's a smaller unionist party, which has called for the DUP to maintain its boycott of power-sharing unless demands around post-Brexit rules are met. They're telling the arriving DUP members “do the right thing”.

Former DUP councillor David Clarke, who quit the party earlier this month over alleged bullying claims, is also protesting.

He says the DUP must be held to account over the tests it set out for any return to devolved government.

The meeting is due to start at 7pm. It could be a long night.

Well, will we remember tonight as the moment the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) decided to set a course to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland?

That remains to be seen but what we do know is about 120 executive members of the party are meeting at the Larchfield Estate, near Lisburn in County Down.

They'll be briefed by party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on what's on the table from the government if the party agrees to end its boycott of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government.

It is thought that, before the night's over, Sir Jeffrey will know whether he has enough support to get a deal across the line.

While the meeting is being held in private, BBC News NI is at Larchfield and we expect to hear from the party leader at some point - and possibly any one else who comes out in the next few hours.

It could be a long night ahead, and there's no guarantee on when we might hear anything about what's going on inside. But we'll have all the latest as we get it.