:00:17. > :00:20.The Chief Constable says a report which criticised how the PSNI
:00:21. > :00:22.protect vulnerable victims is "uncomfortable reading".
:00:23. > :00:25.The report also says more needs to be done to tackle high levels
:00:26. > :00:28.of sickness within the PSNI - it's double the rate of some
:00:29. > :00:30.Our Home Affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney reports.
:00:31. > :00:39.The PSNI dealt with 28,000 reports of domestic abuse a year.
:00:40. > :00:45.It also received around 4,000 reports of missing children.
:00:46. > :00:48.And helped monitor the welfare of around 40 children deemed to be
:00:49. > :00:53.The PSNI says tackling domestic abuse and protecting vulnerable
:00:54. > :00:59.But an independent inspection report says
:01:00. > :01:03.We are dealing here with people who are the most vulnerable
:01:04. > :01:08.These are women who are assaulted and sometimes murdered
:01:09. > :01:17.These are children who are being exploited by evil people.
:01:18. > :01:25.The police are one of the key agencies that can provide that.
:01:26. > :01:28.The HMIC says more training is needed to improve
:01:29. > :01:35.the way officers deal with vulnerable people.
:01:36. > :01:37.Members of the Policing Board expressed concern
:01:38. > :01:39.after being briefed about the report this morning.
:01:40. > :01:42.The Chief Constable said he accepts the findings. Clip.
:01:43. > :01:46.Some of that is frankly uncomfortable reading
:01:47. > :01:49.but we do that as a platform for improvement and change.
:01:50. > :01:51.And insisted that change is already under way.
:01:52. > :02:05.Training has been delivered for over 350 front line constables
:02:06. > :02:07.to help their understanding of domestic abuse and of
:02:08. > :02:13.We have dedicated an additional 15 detectives to help
:02:14. > :02:15.us tackle the problem of child sexual exploitation.
:02:16. > :02:17.On a more positive note, the inspectors say the PSNI
:02:18. > :02:21.uses its resources well to keep people safe and reduce crime.
:02:22. > :02:23.However, they say it's too reliant on officers
:02:24. > :02:28.And that sickness levels are too high - around double that of other
:02:29. > :02:31.The PSNI says that's largely because it needs funding
:02:32. > :02:43.This isn't the first time inspectors have criticised the police approach
:02:44. > :02:45.to victims of domestic abuse or vulnerable people.
:02:46. > :02:48.Each time there's been criticism, the police have promised to respond
:02:49. > :02:52.The HMIC inspectors will come back next year to check on progress.
:02:53. > :02:58.The police in Lurgan are carrying out what they've described
:02:59. > :03:03.as a significant operation in relation to serious crime.
:03:04. > :03:06.Officers have been searching land close to Saint Michael's church
:03:07. > :03:15.A section of the railway line had been closed
:03:16. > :03:19.because of the operation and has now re-opened.
:03:20. > :03:21.Three men from Lithuania say they're moving house after their home
:03:22. > :03:23.was attacked in Larne early this morning.
:03:24. > :03:26.One of the residents says he saw a gang smashing his car
:03:27. > :03:29.and the front window of the house in Herbert Avenue just after 1am.
:03:30. > :03:31.The attackers also painted graffiti on the walls.
:03:32. > :03:34.Police are treating it as a hate crime.
:03:35. > :03:37.Sectarian graffiti has been painted on an Orange Hall in Lisburn.
:03:38. > :03:39.It's believed the graffiti was sprayed on the hall
:03:40. > :03:45.The Police have appealed for information and are treating
:03:46. > :03:55.A boxer in the Team Ireland squad has failed a drugs test on the eve
:03:56. > :03:59.The Irish Athletic Boxing Association confirmed that a fighter
:04:00. > :04:02.has been provisionally suspended from competing.
:04:03. > :05:37.Stephen Watson is in Brazil and has more.
:05:38. > :05:40.A man in his forties has been arrested in connection
:05:41. > :05:42.with the murder of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson.
:05:43. > :05:45.Mr Donaldson was shot dead in April 2006 at a remote cottage in Donegal.
:05:46. > :05:48.The shooting came shortly after it was revealed he had been
:05:49. > :05:53.Last week a 74-year-old man appeared in court in Dublin charged
:05:54. > :05:58.with withholding information about the murder.
:05:59. > :06:03.Today's cut in interest rates by the Bank of England is designed
:06:04. > :06:06.to boost the economy which has weakened markedly since
:06:07. > :06:13.With the rate at its lowest ever level at just a quarter of one
:06:14. > :06:16.per cent, it should mean lower mortgage payments for homeowners
:06:17. > :06:18.but for savers it's not such a bright outlook.
:06:19. > :06:21.Here's our Economics and Business Editor, John Campbell.
:06:22. > :06:23.If you've bought your house with a tracker mortgage,
:06:24. > :06:31.today's move means an immediate cut in your monthly repayment.
:06:32. > :06:34.Let's say you owe ?100,000 over 15 years and your interest rate
:06:35. > :06:37.tracks 2% above the Bank of England's base rate.
:06:38. > :06:42.Your monthly payment will automatically fall
:06:43. > :06:52.The top man at the Bank says you should
:06:53. > :06:55.The banks have no excuse, with the announcement today not
:06:56. > :07:02.They have to make that point to their customers.
:07:03. > :07:05.Good news for borrowers but more pain for savers.
:07:06. > :07:09.For many older people, like this group of Scrabble players
:07:10. > :07:12.in South Belfast, interest payments were supposed to form
:07:13. > :07:14.But in recent years the returns have
:07:15. > :07:26.Up until about four years ago or five years ago,
:07:27. > :07:30.I had some money in my ISA and I was getting about 3% on that.
:07:31. > :07:32.When you went in at the end of the year, you thought
:07:33. > :07:37.there was an extra 100 that you could get.
:07:38. > :07:42.Now there is no point in having it in an ISA.
:07:43. > :07:44.With inflation now forecast to rise that makes
:07:45. > :07:49.As a company we expect to see inflation rise probably
:07:50. > :07:51.even above the 2% target of the Bank of England.
:07:52. > :07:54.That is not an issue as long as savers are getting
:07:55. > :08:06.If savings rates are less than 1% and will probably drop further,
:08:07. > :08:09.inflation may go to two and a half percent in 2017,
:08:10. > :08:11.that means the value of the savers' money is decreasing
:08:12. > :08:20.The Bank of England has indicated it could cut rates to just 0.1%
:08:21. > :08:26.Libraries here are being given extra money to prevent a cut
:08:27. > :08:35.In May after a reduction to its budget, Libraries NI said
:08:36. > :08:37.14 libraries would have to open fewer hours.
:08:38. > :08:39.It would have worked out at an equivalent
:08:40. > :08:58.was made at Lisburn Library by the Communities Minister.
:08:59. > :09:04.It was an exercise carried out across all the areas this money to
:09:05. > :09:06.ensure these facilities remain open. Because the public wants this. When
:09:07. > :09:10.you carry out a consultation and over a thousand people respond and
:09:11. > :09:14.clearly the message was they wanted libraries to be retained and the
:09:15. > :09:17.opening hours they have, it is incumbent on a minister to
:09:18. > :09:20.prioritise and look at where the resources are within my department
:09:21. > :09:23.and I have been able to do that and we shall have libraries continuing
:09:24. > :09:25.to stay open. But while it's good news
:09:26. > :09:26.for libraries, cash shortfalls for projects supporting vulnerable
:09:27. > :09:29.adults are putting services under strain, according to the Federation
:09:30. > :09:31.of Housing Associations. The Federation says it
:09:32. > :09:32.hasn't seen an increase The Department for Communities says
:09:33. > :09:37.it's aware of the pressures and is working to identify
:09:38. > :09:39.additional monies. Our Health Correspondent
:09:40. > :09:48.Marie-Louise Connolly has more. Despite suffering pneumonia
:09:49. > :09:50.with around the clock help at hand, Sandra Campbell has been able
:09:51. > :09:52.to leave hospital and move back into her supported
:09:53. > :09:54.living accommodation. Sandra moved in almost four
:09:55. > :09:59.years ago when living I have tried to commit
:10:00. > :10:04.suicide five times. Staff like Yvonne, who are able
:10:05. > :10:17.to support people like Sandra, to live independently
:10:18. > :10:19.in the community make As the scheme coordinator
:10:20. > :10:27.she is the go-to person but with the cuts in place,
:10:28. > :10:30.her job is under threat. Things like social inclusion,
:10:31. > :10:34.the activities and support that we give them on a dairy
:10:35. > :10:38.basis, that would all go. Many men and women across
:10:39. > :10:47.Northern Ireland live independently in housing schemes like
:10:48. > :10:53.this one in Ballymena. While they have their own apartment
:10:54. > :10:56.they can still cook and shop for themselves with professional
:10:57. > :11:03.help available 24 hours each day. It is the Department for Communities
:11:04. > :11:05.that pays the wages of Yvonne. That funding has been frozen
:11:06. > :11:07.for nine years. That means that things are getting
:11:08. > :11:10.to a critical point now where the quality and viability
:11:11. > :11:13.of these schemes are threatened. Staff costs are increasing
:11:14. > :11:15.significantly with the living wage. In order to sustain high-quality
:11:16. > :11:18.services to vulnerable groups and older people we need
:11:19. > :11:20.an immediate 10% increase It is estimated that the programme
:11:21. > :11:30.saves the public purse around Now for a look at the weather
:11:31. > :11:49.forecast and here's Angie We have some rain in the forecast
:11:50. > :11:54.over the next few days but still a fair amount of dry weather. And a
:11:55. > :11:57.lot of dry weather tonight. Clear spells, broken cloud, feeling
:11:58. > :12:02.fresher with temperatures holding into double figures and times but in
:12:03. > :12:07.rural areas it is likely to be lower, maybe 7 degrees. Tomorrow,
:12:08. > :12:11.not a bad day coming up, lots of dry weather round with a few showers but
:12:12. > :12:13.for much of the morning we will have a lot of dry weather and some
:12:14. > :12:59.sunshine. As we head towards the afternoon we start to see those
:13:00. > :13:01.showers creeping in. Into the Republic, Northern Ireland and
:13:02. > :13:03.western Scotland, may be here more so than later in the afternoon. Some
:13:04. > :13:05.trickling through the central lowlands, maybe the Pennines, but
:13:06. > :13:07.generally speaking elsewhere, we are looking at a lot of fine weather,
:13:08. > :13:09.decent sunshine and warmth in the side. Into the mid-20s and
:13:10. > :13:12.elsewhere, the high teens. Fresher towards the far north. For Northern
:13:13. > :13:14.Ireland in the afterno on, many places avoiding the showers as they
:13:15. > :13:17.move through, still a lot of dry weather to come and they will tend
:13:18. > :13:19.to move always a feeling very pleasant, particularly in eastern
:13:20. > :13:22.areas with lots of shelter, 18 or towards a weekend were keeping an
:13:23. > :13:24.eye on low pressure coming in from we can see we're talking about
:13:25. > :13:26.strong quite tightly packed, we're talking about Northern Ireland,
:13:27. > :13:27.perhaps on Saturday, a fair amount of cloud, rain on Saturday but still
:13:28. > :13:29.a lot of dry weather,