Executive funding announcement expected

It is thought that an announcement on the A5 will be made on Tuesday

There is to be a special executive meeting at Stormont Castle on Tuesday morning to approve significant capital investments.

The details are to be released in an assembly announcement by the Finance Minister Sammy Wilson.

However, Stormont sources suggest two phases of the upgrade of the A5 will be given the go-ahead.

It is thought this will be for the stretches of road between Londonderry and Omagh and Omagh and Ballygawley.

Investment in other road projects is also expected to be announced, including the A2 to Carrickfergus.

It is also understood that funding will be released for a new Omagh hospital and for a new ward at the Altnagelvin hospital in Londonderry.

BBC Northern Ireland's political editor Mark Devenport said the capital spend would be especially welcomed by the construction industry, but the A5 annoucement may yet prove to be contentious.

"As we know there are some landowners who might not think it's so welcome because there has been lobbying against this road," he said.

"The precise way in which this balances may depend on what we're told about exactly which sections of the road get the go-ahead."

A public inquiry into the A5 project is yet to report.