03/06/2016 BBC Newsline

The First Minister, Arlene Foster, says new surveys were carried out

which supported the decision to end the ban on blood donations

Previous DUP health ministers had refused to remove the ban,

but yesterday it was scrapped by the new Sinn Fein

As our Political Correspondent Stephen Walker reports,

it comes in a week when Peter Weir visited an Irish-language school,

and Martin McGuinness went to the Somme.

Arlene Foster spent part of today at a food business in Downpatrick. She

was there to open a new processing facility. Her trip bought the -- and

end a busy political week. Yesterday her colleague Peter Weir became the

first DUP education minister to visit an Irish language school, then

Sinn Fein health Minister Michelle O'Neill overturned the ban on gay

and bisexual men giving blood. So did the DUP support that move? We

always said such a decision should be based on science and medical

evidence, and that medical evidence was there. Michelle came with the

evidence to worse and I was quite happy to endorse the decision sheet

is just did. But the evidence she used was not the same evidence

presented to a DUP health minister. No, there were new surveys carried

out which came to the Department of Health, as I understand, just

before, therefore she had new evidence before her and was able to

bring that to the executive, and I was able to endorse her decision and

was happy to do so. Said at this signify the new executive is working

differently? We indicated we wanted to get on with the job of governing,

and I think we are confident enough to do that, and I hope this week has

shown that we are confident in our decisions, we are making those

decisions and moving forward. This week also saw Deputy First Minister

Martin McGuinness visit Great War battlefields at the Somme. This

signifies that since the agreement in November of last year there is a

recognition both within the DUP and Sinn Fein that we have to work

together and be seen to be giving leadership to everybody in society.

We have to show people things will be different from the last term, and

I think we are beginning to see that taking shape. So the executive is

making decisions, generating headlines, and it is clear there is

a degree of goodwill towards those now in office. But the new ministers

know their honeymoon period won't last forever. In the coming weeks

they will face scrutiny from the smaller parties as they get used to

their new role in opposition. A mother says she feared

for her daughters' lives after an arson attack

at her home in Larne. The children, aged nine

months and four years old, were led to safety after a fire

was started in a pigeon The burnt out pigeon loft. It was

set on fire shortly after 2am this morning. Inside the House was a

family including two girls, a baby and a four-year-old. Their mother

was too shaken to appear on camera. I just woke up and saw the blaze at

the window and knew the shed was on fire. We had to run out and wake the

neighbours and ring the fire brigade and try to get the two kids out of

the House. I was running about the street

with a nine-month-old not knowing what to do. She says she is too

afraid to remain in the house. I feel like I'm homeless, I don't know

what we are going to do. I wish whoever it was would stop or give us

a reason why because we don't know what we've done. This in the first

time this has happened? It is the second time pigeons have been

killed. There have been four fires now in a year. I don't know if it

will happen. Her husband needed treatment for breathing smoke. The

couple say they don't know why they have been targeted. As you can see,

this pigeon loft has been devastated by the fire and it spread to the

eaves of the house. This blaze has left this family fearing for their

safety in their own home. The Police Federation say PSNI

officers took more than 35,000 days of sick last year

because of post-traumatic stress The federation says it's

so concerned about the problem that it's setting up

a fund to help them. Our Home Affairs Correspondent

Vincent Kearney has The Police Federation last year

produced three short movies to demonstrate the kind of work

officers do. Suspect package in vehicle... The message was that they

are no different from the people they serve. This actual officer has

over 20 years of experience and says the fictional story is an accurate

reflection of real life pressures. She doesn't want to be identified so

we are calling her arm. She has been off work with stress for five months

after being traumatised by the death of someone she knew. She says there

is still a match choke out. There is a stigma, it is likeable yourself

together attitude in the police. We do feel

isolated. You don't want to speak to your superiors in case you are

thought of less. The Police Federation says officers have to

wait too long to see a doctor or counsellor. This officer, who we

call Matthew, was involved in a serious accident on duty.

Post-traumatic stress is a very debilitating illness, but it is not

like having flu, you don't have it and get over it and carry on, it is

something that keeps going and needs to continue to be managed. The

Police Federation says action is needing it because of the number of

officers with PTSD and psychological illnesses is growing. It has been

obvious to us for some time that the resources required to alleviate this

problem and assist officers have not been made available. We feel

something has to be done immediately as we are approaching crisis point

in the service. Details of the initiative will be announced at the

Police Federation's conference next week. The Chief Constable and new

Justice Minister will be in the audience and will be told this is a

problem they need to do more to address.

US presidential hopeful Donald Trump is to visit the west

He said he's planning to visit his hotel and golf course

at Doonbeg in County Clare around the 24th or 25th of June.

The New York businessman will be in the country at the same time

as a visit by US vice president Joe Biden.

Northern Ireland claimed their second win of the wafer women's Euro

2017 qualifying, with a win over Georgia.

Let's get a check on the weekend weather now with Cecilia.

Hello. We have had a fantastic week of weather. The warm weather will

continue through the wake end and into next week but more clout

particularly tomorrow. The cloud gradually increases from the eastern

night, so in general temperature is not as low as recent nights. Some

early sunshine in the West tomorrow, otherwise cloudy day, but still warm

with dry weather to come. That cloud gradually increasing further west

through the morning, maybe some showers, but generally lots of dry

weather, a couple of showers over parts of Britain, but generally

warmer across central and eastern England compared to recent days. The

sunshine returns to the North and East of Scotland later and a

gorgeous day over the Republic with temperatures in the low 20s. It

should brighten up in Northern Ireland tomorrow afternoon, mostly

dry, just the odd shower and late sunshine likely. Temperatures could

get up to 20 degrees before the day is finished. On Sunday, early cloud

but brightening, sunnier skies developing, warmer as well,

temperatures in the low 20s, possibly some showers in the West

before the days finish. If you are taking part in the Derry Marathon,

it may be cloudy to start but will get warm and sunny before the races

finished, and likewise, not to warm start for the cycling, but will be

warm and sunny during Sunday. So we have more sunshine during the new

week, warm, but the risk of showers, some could be thundery. Have a great

weekend.