The North's Finance Minister, Dr Seán Farren, has announced an additional £4 million to tackle hospital waiting lists.
It is thought £3 million will be spent on heart operations, with the remaining money going towards other surgical procedures.
Most of the cardiac surgery is to be performed outside Northern Ireland, with patients being flown to Britain.
Dr Farren said previous initiatives to treat people outside the North had proved successful.
"We have been persuaded by the merits of the argument that we should address in a specific, time-bound and innovative way Northern Ireland's chronic cardiac surgery waiting list.
"It is well known inside and outside this Assembly that we suffer the highest of such waiting lists, not only in the UK but right across Europe. Heart disease is Northern Ireland's number one killer, and the Executive is determined to address this issue.
A further £2 million is being provided to address other waiting lists," he added.
The chief executive of the North's Chest, Heart and Stroke Association, Mr Andrew Dougal, who was in the Assembly chamber during the announcement, welcomed the plans, saying they would make a "huge difference to the morale of the individuals".
In all, the health service received the largest share - £40 million - of the £190 million of the Executive's budget reallocation.
The Department of Social Development will receive £14.6 million to cover redundancy costs at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the "Supporting People" scheme.
The Department of Agriculture is to get another £14 million, including £8 million to help it meet legal obligations for animal health compensation.
Just over £12 million is to go to the Department of Education to support measures for north Belfast schools and fund teachers' pay awards.
A number of high-priority services, including road upgrades, a road service initiative in north Belfast and an upgrade to the water services, are to be funded by £8.5 million allocated to the Department of Regional Development.
The Finance Minister's Department is to receive £6.6 million to deal with repair costs at a social security office in Belfast and compliance costs relating to the Disability Discrimination Act.