:00:14. > :00:16.The headlines this Thursday evening...
:00:17. > :00:20.A U-turn by the DUP restores money to an Irish language scheme -
:00:21. > :00:28.but campaigners say it doesn't go far enough.
:00:29. > :00:33.We are still at the whim of ministers who at different times
:00:34. > :00:34.have suppressed their hostility to the Irish language.
:00:35. > :00:36.The British and Irish governments meet local
:00:37. > :00:38.politicians for talks - but there's no sign
:00:39. > :00:42.Arguments go on about whether the Stormont crisis
:00:43. > :00:46.means tenants will be hit by the bedroom tax.
:00:47. > :00:52.When they are doing their squabbling and fighting, they are not thinking
:00:53. > :00:54.of the likes of us as people. a County Antrim man who sold
:00:55. > :01:00.it is sent to jail. Further disruption can be expected
:01:01. > :01:03.with warnings for snow and ice. I'll have the latest
:01:04. > :01:10.later in the programme. Funding to an Irish language scheme
:01:11. > :01:14.has been reinstated - The ?50,000 cut to the Liofa
:01:15. > :01:22.scheme caused anger - and supporters protested
:01:23. > :01:24.at the office of the Communities On social media Mr Givan said
:01:25. > :01:29.the original decision wasn't political and that the money had
:01:30. > :01:32.now been found. As our Education Correspondent,
:01:33. > :01:34.Robbie Meredith, reports this morning's protest went ahead
:01:35. > :01:53.despite the Minister's announcement. A protest which turned into a bit of
:01:54. > :01:57.a party. That is the thing about the Irish community. We come out and we
:01:58. > :02:01.are angry but we can make it positive. Due to an unexpected
:02:02. > :02:05.U-turn by the communities minister. In eight week he said he had found
:02:06. > :02:09.money for the Liofa scheme. Money he had originally stopped on the
:02:10. > :02:13.sporting day before Christmas. Although the crowd behind me are
:02:14. > :02:17.celebrating the return of the Liofa funding, this is the latest occasion
:02:18. > :02:23.when rows of the Irish language and the prominence it has on society
:02:24. > :02:32.have made the headlines. Querrey my UK. ... Some time ago but Gregory
:02:33. > :02:39.Campbell ease the language in the Assembly. Michelle McIlveen ordered
:02:40. > :02:45.that the Irish nameplate be removed and replaced with the name in
:02:46. > :02:49.English. Although it was still defying her decision today. An Irish
:02:50. > :02:54.language activist wanted much more than the Liofa scheme. They want
:02:55. > :03:00.Irish blood on a par with English as a language. We have sought and
:03:01. > :03:03.received support from a broad range of political parties and we welcome
:03:04. > :03:07.that. We would ask all who have stood with us loss far to continue
:03:08. > :03:12.to stand of us and not enter any agreement with the Executive with
:03:13. > :03:19.the current crisis without an Irish act and write anguish ayes Irish
:03:20. > :03:22.speakers being a red line issue. The Irish language act would guarantee a
:03:23. > :03:27.number of things including the option for Irish to be used in
:03:28. > :03:30.court. In debates in the Assembly and to be used by Allstate bodies
:03:31. > :03:34.including the police. There would also be an Irish line which
:03:35. > :03:38.Commissioner to ensure the language have been facilitated. To make it
:03:39. > :03:40.law would need Executive agreement and some activists say Sinn Fein
:03:41. > :03:45.should and called back into government without that. Calling on
:03:46. > :03:48.them to say there will be no return to government without a specific
:03:49. > :03:52.commitment and a timescale with the enactment of a rights -based strong
:03:53. > :03:58.and comprehensive Irish language act. So was today's U-turn itself
:03:59. > :04:04.part of a deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein? The answer is
:04:05. > :04:07.unambiguous. It isn't and it won't be either. The decision around
:04:08. > :04:12.removing Liofa was disgraceful and I'm glad it is reversed. What we
:04:13. > :04:18.need coming out of an election, that is the only way it is sorted, is an
:04:19. > :04:22.election and an Irish language act and a strategy. People are looking
:04:23. > :04:25.for a good governance and part of that today is the Irish language but
:04:26. > :04:31.they want those issues are sorted once and for all. And tonight no
:04:32. > :04:35.soft words from Paul Givan. The Irish language has been doing very
:04:36. > :04:38.well through Stormont and the Ulster Scots have been playing catch-up for
:04:39. > :04:41.a long time in respect of that but Sinn Fein wanted to use that
:04:42. > :04:45.decision in order to try and extract the selection process damages they
:04:46. > :04:50.would see it upon the DUP and I wasn't prepared to allow them to do
:04:51. > :04:51.that. So even the dogs in the street don't know if today heralds any
:04:52. > :04:54.future agreement. So, can the Liofa decision
:04:55. > :04:57.help prevent a political After a day of meetings,
:04:58. > :05:02.everyone is agreed an election Here's our Political
:05:03. > :05:07.Correspondent Gareth Gordon. With the DUP seemingly in reverse,
:05:08. > :05:11.Sinn Fein signalled it was full steam ahead
:05:12. > :05:22.- destination election. Martin McGuinness led a delegation
:05:23. > :05:25.this morning and we met with both the British and Irish governments.
:05:26. > :05:28.We were reminded them of their responsibilities as co-guarantors of
:05:29. > :05:34.the Good Friday Agreement in relation to delivery of equality. We
:05:35. > :05:37.reminded them that the DUP cannot be allowed to continue to block
:05:38. > :05:41.equality and deliver for all of our citizens. Martin made his position
:05:42. > :05:44.very clear when he placed his resignation in the Assembly on
:05:45. > :05:44.Monday. We now need to move down election.
:05:45. > :05:46.They only allowed two questions and they were off.
:05:47. > :05:51.The man whose job it is to try and save the day appeared
:05:52. > :06:04.The reality remains, the high probability remains that we are
:06:05. > :06:10.heading towards an election. The Irish government meant the parties
:06:11. > :06:13.then also said it. I said on Monday in the aftermath of the publication
:06:14. > :06:20.of the letter, by the den Deputy First Minister, but I felt an
:06:21. > :06:21.election was likely and I say now as we move towards the end of the week
:06:22. > :06:24.scenario is even more likely. The DUP's critic-in-chief claimed
:06:25. > :06:37.Paul Givan's change of heart over They certainly found it at the
:06:38. > :06:42.demand of Sinn Fein. Such is the desperation of the DUP to avoid an
:06:43. > :06:46.election. When it comes to politics here you never quite rule anything
:06:47. > :06:48.in or out. Right now and election is as close to a certainty as you are
:06:49. > :06:49.going to get. Stormont's committees continued
:06:50. > :06:58.to meet, but probably I advise matters -- members that the
:06:59. > :07:02.next meeting of the committee scheduled to take place on Thursday
:07:03. > :07:08.the 19th of January 2025, only joking! The laughter a touch
:07:09. > :07:11.nervous, with good reason. Our Political Editor Mark Devenport
:07:12. > :07:13.joins us from Stormont. So, Mark, lots of talks today,
:07:14. > :07:24.but not much optimism? Absolutely. Last night there was a
:07:25. > :07:28.good bit of optimism raised by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny when he
:07:29. > :07:32.suggested the two main players the DUP and Sinn Fein might have a
:07:33. > :07:36.direct meeting. Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein chief negotiator and
:07:37. > :07:38.Deputy First Minister until his recent reclamation, was here at
:07:39. > :07:45.Stormont today but we understand there are no direct talks between
:07:46. > :07:48.him and the DUP. Instead we had this pretty downbeat assessment from both
:07:49. > :07:51.the British and Irish governments and that bit of gallows humour that
:07:52. > :07:55.we saw there in the Stormont committee room I think more or less
:07:56. > :08:00.summed it up and that people think we are inevitably sliding towards an
:08:01. > :08:05.election. So those moves by the DUP on the Irish language and on the
:08:06. > :08:08.bedroom tax, will that be enough to prevent a breakdown? No, I think the
:08:09. > :08:12.communities minister Paul Givan has been a very busy politician today.
:08:13. > :08:16.He made that announcement on the Irish language and on the bedroom
:08:17. > :08:20.tax which we will hear more about in a few minutes time from John
:08:21. > :08:23.Campbell but no sense of that was meant as a Norwich brands that are
:08:24. > :08:26.olive branch, but Sinn Fein think that is enough. They are still
:08:27. > :08:32.talking about the need to go to the public on this. What happens next?
:08:33. > :08:36.Parties will be selecting their candidates and it'll be interesting
:08:37. > :08:39.to see for instance the Martin McGuinness confirms whether he will
:08:40. > :08:44.or not but his name forward when Sinn Fein selects its candidates of
:08:45. > :08:49.the weekend. Then on Monday we could have a busy day here with Sinn Fein
:08:50. > :08:52.not nominating for the Deputy First Minister but potentially more action
:08:53. > :08:54.on things like the bedroom tax. We will leave it there, thank you.
:08:55. > :08:57.The BBC understands that a radical plan to tackle hospital waiting
:08:58. > :08:59.lists has had to be shelved due to the political uncertainty.
:09:00. > :09:02.The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has hit out,
:09:03. > :09:05.saying that politicians must get back up the hill to work things out.
:09:06. > :09:07.Meanwhile others fear delays will continue around
:09:08. > :09:11.important decisions such as fatal foetal abnormality.
:09:12. > :09:15.Our Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly reports.
:09:16. > :09:19.It's a story that shows little sign of abating.
:09:20. > :09:21.Hospital waiting lists have dominated news headlines
:09:22. > :09:30.and by all accounts will continue to do so.
:09:31. > :09:35.Last November the Health Minister Michelle O'Neill said she planned to
:09:36. > :09:39.make a major announcement in January about a detailed strategy to tackle
:09:40. > :09:42.waiting lists. I understand that announcement was to include
:09:43. > :09:46.substantial funding which would allow health trusts to help those
:09:47. > :09:52.currently on waiting lists, but would also allow them to reform the
:09:53. > :09:54.system. But with no budget for Executive now in place, those plans
:09:55. > :09:56.to help the sick and most vulnerable have now been shelved.
:09:57. > :09:59.In a statement to the BBC, the Health Minister said the current
:10:00. > :10:02.situation is that there's no longer an Executive in place to agree
:10:03. > :10:06.Michelle O'Neill said she fully recognised the concern
:10:07. > :10:08.and frustration that long waits present for patients
:10:09. > :10:13.and is committed to addressing excessive waiting times.
:10:14. > :10:16.But for those working on the front line the feeling about what's
:10:17. > :10:17.happening at Stormont is one of disappointment
:10:18. > :10:23.Against a backdrop of too few beds and overstretched staff,
:10:24. > :10:37.There was high expectation among colleagues given the publication of
:10:38. > :10:41.the report, given the minister's vision of delivering together and is
:10:42. > :10:45.occurring against it background of presumed political distorted that
:10:46. > :10:50.they couldn't deliver meaningful change to the health service. Sadly
:10:51. > :10:54.recent events make it a doubt but the Royal College will be seeing and
:10:55. > :10:55.expecting them to get back up the hill and working to deliver for the
:10:56. > :10:56.people. While Stormont's institutions
:10:57. > :10:58.could unravel, health officials continue with their roadshows on how
:10:59. > :11:00.services could potentially change under the Minister's
:11:01. > :11:01.ten-year vision. But some members of
:11:02. > :11:13.the public aren't happy. We do need certainty. This is one of
:11:14. > :11:17.the biggest things that is putting health at risk, because we don't
:11:18. > :11:21.know what direction it is going in. We have to as a community act
:11:22. > :11:23.positively, work cooperatively and try to drive the agenda from within
:11:24. > :11:25.the community up to the politicians. Those recently appointed to help
:11:26. > :11:27.steer potential changes to how services are delivered say the mood
:11:28. > :11:37.music isn't good. It is a 10-year process. It is
:11:38. > :11:41.promising huge scale and radical change. It needs unity and support
:11:42. > :11:46.from across the Executive. If that can't be achieved don't think there
:11:47. > :11:50.will be a transformation project. Those involved in healthier further
:11:51. > :11:54.delay around critical decisions. The first thing to say is we have been
:11:55. > :11:57.expecting to hear soon the outcome of the FF a working report so we are
:11:58. > :11:58.not likely to hear that because of the likelihood of the upcoming
:11:59. > :12:00.elections. While 12 months ago there were calls
:12:01. > :12:03.to take politics out of health, it's ironic that it's the very lack
:12:04. > :12:06.of politics that could now Sinn Fein and DUP ministers remain
:12:07. > :12:12.at odds on whether new legislation is required to lessen the impact
:12:13. > :12:15.of the so-called bedroom tax. A tenant who could be affected says
:12:16. > :12:19.the political squabble doesn't help those who are worried
:12:20. > :12:22.about the extra cost. We'll hear more about the political
:12:23. > :12:24.wrangling in a moment, but first Michael Fitzpatrick has
:12:25. > :12:26.been speaking to someone Jennifer Hughes and her family have
:12:27. > :12:33.lived at their three-bedroom terrace in South Belfast
:12:34. > :12:45.for the past 15 years. Stormont was due to introduce a
:12:46. > :12:48.scheme to offset the cost of the so-called bedroom tax because one of
:12:49. > :12:54.her bedrooms is classed as a spare room. If it isn't implemented she
:12:55. > :12:55.faces losing around ?80 a month because -- from her housing benefit.
:12:56. > :12:58.She is critical of politicians. When they're doing their squabbling
:12:59. > :13:00.and fighting, they're not thinking about the likes of us as people
:13:01. > :13:15.having to pay that. We don't. We have a limited budget
:13:16. > :13:19.and they are not saying, we will of your brew because the bedroom tax is
:13:20. > :13:23.taken out of it. We live on it a sick outcome and now they are trying
:13:24. > :13:25.to take more money -- Basic income. They are trying to take more money
:13:26. > :13:27.out of that. How do they expect us to live
:13:28. > :13:30.if we have to pay bedroom tax More than 30,000 households
:13:31. > :13:34.could unexpectedly have to pay the so-called bedroom tax
:13:35. > :13:42.from next month. I know a lot of people who this
:13:43. > :13:48.would affect because you have to pay per room. I know people who are
:13:49. > :13:52.living in a three bedroom. There is a house that was allocated to them,
:13:53. > :14:02.so why should they have to pay for that? -- it is a house. It is not
:14:03. > :14:04.our fault. With differing advice as to whether the special measures to
:14:05. > :14:05.offset the tax will be introduced the uncertainty continues for
:14:06. > :14:08.thousands. I'm joined by our Business
:14:09. > :14:10.and Economics Editor, John Campbell. John, what's the
:14:11. > :14:20.background to the row? The bedroom tax is a Westminster
:14:21. > :14:23.policy. Stormont politicians do not like it's of the Executive decided
:14:24. > :14:29.they would set up a mitigation fund to make sure nobody would lose out.
:14:30. > :14:32.The issue has been how do we bring the mitigation fund into effect? All
:14:33. > :14:36.week the communities minister Paul Givan has been adamant it means a
:14:37. > :14:40.piece of legislation and it has to do the summary. This difficulty has
:14:41. > :14:44.been that normally that sort of legislation must first be signed off
:14:45. > :14:48.by the Executive before it goes to the MLAs. There is no Executive at
:14:49. > :14:51.the moment so he has been saying we are in a difficult position and the
:14:52. > :14:55.bedroom tax mitigation might not be able to be brought into effect.
:14:56. > :14:58.Mairtin O Muilleoir the Finance Minister says that is nonsense and
:14:59. > :15:02.that there is already legislation in place that means the mitigation fund
:15:03. > :15:05.can be up and running. We had an exchange of memos today between the
:15:06. > :15:10.two ministers both of them laying into positions and that they support
:15:11. > :15:14.their most senior advisers and that they were right. We heard from
:15:15. > :15:18.Jennifer Hughes, like many is she is worried. How worried should people
:15:19. > :15:24.be? Tonight people can be a lot less worried. Paul Givan has said forget
:15:25. > :15:27.that stuff about me having to take the policy to the Executive. I will
:15:28. > :15:31.bring this directly to the Assembly and directly in front of the MLAs
:15:32. > :15:36.and he intends to do that as early as Monday. He says it will be up to
:15:37. > :15:40.the MLAs to vote on his regulations. It seems tonight that a solution has
:15:41. > :15:43.been found and it'll be down to the MLAs sometime next week and maybe as
:15:44. > :15:47.early as Monday to bring this scheme into effect. Thank you.
:15:48. > :15:49.Later in the programme we'll hear what the Labour leader,
:15:50. > :15:51.Jeremy Corbyn, has to say about the current
:15:52. > :15:56.How a fraudster who sold fake fire safety glass to schools
:15:57. > :16:04.The Police Ombudsman is to investigate why the PSNI
:16:05. > :16:07.failed to monitor the movements of a man charged in connection
:16:08. > :16:12.with the murder of prison officer David Black in 2012.
:16:13. > :16:15.County Tyrone man Damien McLaughlin is due to stand trial next month,
:16:16. > :16:19.but has not been seen by police since November, despite a bail
:16:20. > :16:23.condition that he should report to them five days out of seven.
:16:24. > :16:30.The police have apologised to Mr Black's family.
:16:31. > :16:36.Police are going to reflect on this. We are going to look at our systems.
:16:37. > :16:41.We have already commenced a review. We will look at or processes. We
:16:42. > :16:44.will look at how the processes are implanted and if they can be
:16:45. > :16:48.fermented better. That is a view doing as the police and I would urge
:16:49. > :16:52.that sections of the criminal justice system take opportunity to
:16:53. > :16:57.reflect. A woman and her eight-year-old daughter have been
:16:58. > :17:02.tied up during a burglary at a house near Omagh. Two masked men with a
:17:03. > :17:06.hammer entered the house just before 7pm that site. The woman was struck
:17:07. > :17:11.in the face and the men made off with Julie. -- with jury.
:17:12. > :17:14.A 58-year-old man has been jailed for a year for selling
:17:15. > :17:16.fake fire safety glass to the construction industry.
:17:17. > :17:18.It was installed at schools, shops and hospitals here
:17:19. > :17:22.Seamus James Laverty, of Deer Park Road in Toomebridge,
:17:23. > :17:24.pleaded guilty to 16 counts of fraud by false representation.
:17:25. > :17:29.Our North East Reporter Sara Girvin was at Antrim Crown Court.
:17:30. > :17:39.This is what happens when fake safety glass meets fire.
:17:40. > :17:42.The actions of Seamus Laverty saw it fitted in 68 buildings
:17:43. > :17:50.Those included the maternity ward of the Ulster Hospital,
:17:51. > :17:52.schools such as Strathearn in East Belfast, as well as
:17:53. > :17:54.churches, care homes, universities and shops.
:17:55. > :18:01.The PSNI say the lives of many vulnerable people were put at risk.
:18:02. > :18:10.He has put the risks of children and elderly patients in hospital and not
:18:11. > :18:17.forgetting or colleagues in the Fire and Rescue Service. Let's be clear
:18:18. > :18:19.about this. If a fire had started at any of these locations, we would be
:18:20. > :18:22.looking at fatalities or serious injury.
:18:23. > :18:25.It was uncovered when a whistle-blower,
:18:26. > :18:27.who was a competitor of Laverty, became suspicious of his
:18:28. > :18:31.He acquired a safety glass sample from Randalstown-based Glassworks
:18:32. > :18:34.Ireland and discovered it was, in fact, much cheaper
:18:35. > :18:39.He alerted police and an investigation began -
:18:40. > :18:48.the first of its kind in Great Britain and Ireland.
:18:49. > :18:53.The judge said Laverty had experienced extreme financial
:18:54. > :18:56.difficulties as well as mental health problems. He said because of
:18:57. > :19:01.this he was prepared to temper justice with mercy. He handed him a
:19:02. > :19:10.two-year sentence. One year to be served in jail and the other on
:19:11. > :19:14.licence. The police have moved to reassure parents at a County Down
:19:15. > :19:15.primary school after a former cleaner was convicted of
:19:16. > :19:17.superimposing pictures of children onto those of others being sexually
:19:18. > :19:18.abused. Gary Carruthers was sentenced
:19:19. > :19:20.to three years in prison. The case has raised important issues
:19:21. > :19:22.about child protection, not least for parents of children
:19:23. > :19:25.at the school. When 35-year-old Gary Carruthers
:19:26. > :19:33.from Belfast was arrested, he had 30,000 indecent
:19:34. > :19:36.images of children. In a safe at his home,
:19:37. > :19:38.detectives also found computer discs and storage devices,
:19:39. > :19:42.manuals on how to abuse children, But this case and the circumstances
:19:43. > :19:49.surrounding it raise important Some parents feel they simply
:19:50. > :19:55.weren't given enough information about the arrest and trial
:19:56. > :19:58.of a part-time cleaner at their child's school for such
:19:59. > :20:02.serious crimes against children. I've spoken to a parent
:20:03. > :20:04.of a child at the school, concerned that his requests
:20:05. > :20:07.for information over the past few At the time of Carruthers' arrest,
:20:08. > :20:14.parents were sent a note explaining that there was a child safeguarding
:20:15. > :20:20.issue at the school. But parents want to know this -
:20:21. > :20:22."Was my child involved? "And were the images Carruthers
:20:23. > :20:26.created were ever shared As the father I spoke to put it
:20:27. > :20:32.to me, "Is my wee girl's face on computer screens
:20:33. > :20:34.in other countries?" Now, the PSNI say parents who've
:20:35. > :20:50.heard nothing from them He is one of those images to
:20:51. > :20:54.manufacture these images of abuse. He manufactured an image of the
:20:55. > :20:58.child at the school. He also had a number of other images of children
:20:59. > :21:01.at the school. Any child in that group, we have identified and spoken
:21:02. > :21:07.to the child and their parents and none of them have disclose contact
:21:08. > :21:11.if any. It should be a reassurance that parents who has prevented that
:21:12. > :21:16.they are not in the category. There is also no suggestion that he was
:21:17. > :21:18.involved in distribution of these images.
:21:19. > :21:21.For the authorities, much of this case was new -
:21:22. > :21:23.this was the first conviction here under new legislation
:21:24. > :21:25.on possessing guides on abusing and grooming children.
:21:26. > :21:26.It's also presented new and disturbing
:21:27. > :21:38.Some news Justin and a child have been knocked down by a vehicle in
:21:39. > :21:41.County Down. The road has been closed and the child has been taken
:21:42. > :21:42.to hospital. There are no further details.
:21:43. > :21:46.The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has said he does not want to see
:21:47. > :21:47.the return of direct rule to Northern Ireland.
:21:48. > :21:53.In an interview with our correspondent Stephen Walker,
:21:54. > :22:01.He asked him if he thought the first Mr Arlene Foster should have stepped
:22:02. > :22:05.aside while an investigation into the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme
:22:06. > :22:10.took place. It would have avoided the crisis but she didn't. It is not
:22:11. > :22:12.up to us to decide what happens with internal political parties in
:22:13. > :22:17.Northern Ireland. We are now faced with a situation that unless Sinn
:22:18. > :22:20.Fein appoint a replacement, which they have categorically said they
:22:21. > :22:26.will not, elections have to take place. Was Martin McGuinness right
:22:27. > :22:29.to resign? He obviously felt he had no alternative otherwise he wouldn't
:22:30. > :22:34.have done so but he did hang on for quite a long time despite his
:22:35. > :22:38.obviously very large differences with Arlene Foster over her
:22:39. > :22:42.behaviour. I say this, there has to be a process of talks but I guess it
:22:43. > :22:45.is probably going to be followed by elections. We actually need an
:22:46. > :22:51.effective government in Northern Ireland very quickly, to deal with
:22:52. > :22:58.the question of EU negotiations, to do with the Republic. There has to
:22:59. > :23:01.be an effective government, a new election with a smaller store month
:23:02. > :23:06.which will be there for less diverse in its political representation is
:23:07. > :23:10.not necessarily the best thing. If there is no Executive, does that
:23:11. > :23:13.mean the views of the people in Northern Ireland would be heard?
:23:14. > :23:17.They will have to be heard by the individual parties, but it is
:23:18. > :23:20.obviously much less effective. The whole point of setting up the
:23:21. > :23:24.Northern Ireland Assembly was to give a voice to the people of
:23:25. > :23:28.Northern Ireland. We looking at direct rule? I hope not, I don't
:23:29. > :23:33.want to see a return to direct rule. I don't forget that as a good option
:23:34. > :23:35.at all. We need representative government in Northern Ireland.
:23:36. > :23:40.Unionists think we could have direct rule for some time. I don't know
:23:41. > :23:43.quite that it say that unless they actually want it which I hope is
:23:44. > :23:46.that what they want full stop I want to see elected government in
:23:47. > :23:51.Northern Ireland. Would you consider joint authority in the meantime? It
:23:52. > :23:55.would operate only in an interim period that I am not sure that is
:23:56. > :23:58.necessary. Surely we get through the election period as quickly as we can
:23:59. > :24:02.if we go through the election period to ensure there is administrative
:24:03. > :24:06.dormant in Northern Ireland but it is not a good situation, I'm not
:24:07. > :24:08.presenting it as anything but difficult.
:24:09. > :24:11.Rory McIlroy made a good start to his season in South Africa.
:24:12. > :24:14.He is one shot off the lead after an opening round 67.
:24:15. > :24:16.The world number two carded seven birdies in a five-under-par round.
:24:17. > :24:18.This outstanding iron shot set up one of them
:24:19. > :24:22.Darren Clarke is a further three shots back following a 70
:24:23. > :24:37.Let's get the weather with Barra Best. The snow has caused some
:24:38. > :24:42.disruption but others are making the most of it. We have a lot of such a
:24:43. > :24:44.disruption in the north and west. Some treacherous driving conditions
:24:45. > :24:52.but some had been enjoying the snow. This is not the Alps but these
:24:53. > :24:56.parents. We had Lawrence McBride out there taking advantage of the wintry
:24:57. > :25:02.scenario to get this geezer. -- the Sperrins. There will be more of that
:25:03. > :25:07.to come this evening. Some others will get to enjoy some of the snow.
:25:08. > :25:11.This was County Fermanagh today. We had a snowball fight with the family
:25:12. > :25:18.and also the celebs out an County Antrim. But as we go through the
:25:19. > :25:21.night with ice warnings in first with the snow, there could be some
:25:22. > :25:24.treacherous driving conditions through the night and tomorrow
:25:25. > :25:29.morning. That could cause some problems for rush-hour. Bear that in
:25:30. > :25:34.mind first thing. We hold the chilly winds continuing to bring a flow of
:25:35. > :25:38.scattered showers. As temperatures across the board fault to freezing
:25:39. > :25:42.and below. Some treacherous driving conditions first thing tomorrow. If
:25:43. > :25:46.rusty start for assault. Some of us have to clear the snow of the cars.
:25:47. > :25:53.It stays bitterly cold tomorrow with the Arctic winds. They will be hit
:25:54. > :25:56.and miss showers and not for everyone but some of us could see
:25:57. > :26:02.one or two centimetres in some low-level areas. Two or three
:26:03. > :26:11.Celsius beehives. Plenty of sunshine as well during the day. Showers
:26:12. > :26:18.likely for parts of Ulster and, as well. Feeling bitter and raw from
:26:19. > :26:24.any of us. Especially towards the north coast. You will probably want
:26:25. > :26:27.the scarf, hat and gloves. Tomorrow evening we hold on to a few of the
:26:28. > :26:33.showers continuing to come in with the Arctic winds. As temperatures
:26:34. > :26:37.fall to freezing and below tomorrow night into Saturday we are likely to
:26:38. > :26:41.seek further scattering of showers and some icy conditions forming as
:26:42. > :26:46.well giving us some headaches on a Saturday morning. During the day on
:26:47. > :26:51.Saturday it is an increase in temperatures. Seven or eight for
:26:52. > :26:54.many of us. It will turn to rain although it will feel quite chilly.
:26:55. > :27:04.Westerly winds right through the day. By Sunday a big difference.
:27:05. > :27:07.Back up to ten or 11 Celsius. Wrap up warm tomorrow. Through the
:27:08. > :27:14.weekend the warnings go away and it is back to rain. Thank you. The
:27:15. > :27:20.treacherous driving conditions there. We got these pictures from
:27:21. > :27:26.the clinching pass, often one of the most difficult routes for motorist.
:27:27. > :27:29.The main story this evening, campaigners have welcomed a DUP
:27:30. > :27:34.U-turn on funding for an Irish language scheme but say it doesn't
:27:35. > :27:38.go far enough. Join me for the late news at 10:30pm. Keep in touch with
:27:39. > :27:40.us on Facebook and Twitter. From everyone on the BBC Newsline team,
:27:41. > :27:43.goodbye.