Fears new restrictions in North will devastate local economy and hit jobs
From Friday, non-essential retail will close for two weeks, as part of tougher measures across the North of Ireland.
The Executive had pledged to provide additional financial support to businesses forced to close.
It is understood the proposed package will be worth £300m.
If approved, it is thought the Finance Minister Conor Murphy could outline details to the assembly on Monday afternoon.
Mr Murphy and Economy Minister Diane Dodds are understood to have spent the weekend working on plans, with their departmental officials.
The Executive had faced criticism for not having new financial support in place before it announced the lockdown measures last Thursday evening.
The local chambers of commerce have outlined a number of proposals to the executive about increasing assistance to businesses.
The chambers requests include:
“Accelerating” payments of some grants to those firms still waiting
A voucher scheme to help stimulate spending in retail and hospitality in early 2021
Extending rates holidays for some sectors for the next financial year
The organisation’s chief executive Simon Hamilton said it was incumbent on ministers to produce the “biggest boost in financial support yet”.
He said many businesses were already hurting at what should be a critical trading time of the year heading into the Christmas season.
The lockdown measures will last until 11 December, with ministers saying the new restrictions represented the “best chance” of getting to Christmas and new year without further regulations being needed.
Meanwhile, the first and deputy first ministers are expected to continue discussions with the British government and other devolved administrations this week about a coordinated approach to Christmas.
Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill took part in talks over the weekend, where leaders backed plans to allow some household mixing “for a small number of days” over Christmas.
In respect of the North of Ireland, ministers have also “recognised that people will want to see family and friends across the island of Ireland, and this is the subject of discussions with the Irish government”, the Cabinet Office said.
The government said work is continuing to finalise the arrangements, including on travel.
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