29/03/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline. The headlines.

And Antrim food chemical company is under investigation after the death

of a woman in Italy. Gorse fires on the hillsides

bringing a multi- million-pound clear-up bill.

Revealed. The lawyers paid the biggest fees out of the public

purse. The world's largest Titanic visitor

attraction is now complete and we are inside to show you how it got

here. Also on the programme we will look back to what was happening in

Belfast in 1912, when the famous liner was launched.

Sunshine is fading and temperatures are falling. I will have at the

weather live from Belfast Titanic later in the programme.

First tonight. There will be an external review of children's

congenital cardiac services in Belfast. A report by the audit data

base has revealed higher-than- expected number of deaths among

children for one particular procedure. Our health correspondent

is with me now. What can you tell us? The Health and Social Care

Board is to carry out an external review of congenital cardiac

services among children. Congenital heart disease is rare, but it is

very serious, particularly for children. It is inherited and

normally children would be born with that. This review has been

triggered as a result of the UK database which is now what

monitoring figures between the 2007 and 2010 which show an unexpectedly

high rate of deaths among children here. It follows one particular

procedure and it is for an abnormality, and it is a strange

name. It is a procedure that is carried out for these heart

operations and this is what specifically this review is looking

at. It is only on those operations carried out between 2007 and 2010.

I understand that three children from Northern Ireland died during

that time. Is this a sign that someone think something has gone

seriously wrong? I absolutely. You do not call for a review unless

there is something serious. It is external and they understand that

the Royal College of Surgeons are involved. There is a helpline

number for concerned parents and that number is a weight hundred

9178226. That number will be on the online service.

At and Antrim company is at the centre of an investigation into the

death of the one at clinic in Italy. Mistral Laboratory Chemicals has

not yet made a statement on this. The Food Standards Agency said the

woman was being tested for a food intolerance. Staff administered

what was labelled as an artificial sweetener, but it turned out to be

a chemical used to preserve the meat. Police and environmental

health officials are now investigating traceability and

labelling at the company which has stopped distributing its good grade

products. Local environmental health officers went into the

company and we have not been provided with the assurances that

we need that that company is carrying out the checks it needs to

carry out on these chemicals. As a precaution, we would like customers

to contact their local environmental health office and the

chemicals will be collected by in their mental health officer in your

own district. All that is left is a thick coating

of ash and a huge bill for the public purse. That is the result of

last night's gorse fire on Camlough Mountain. Dozens of acres of heath

were affected, which wiped out the habitat for small animals and

insects and averted fire crews from nearby towns to an isolated

mountain top. The back end of Camlough Mountain bore the scars of

the place. It broke out around in tune and burned for up to 12 hours.

Fire crews fought the blaze, but it was difficult work. They had to

walk for 45 minutes before they could even begin to tackle the

flames by hand, beating them out. It is only when you get close that

you get a sense of the scale of the damage. The vegetation on the

entire side of this mountain has been burned away, everything has

been reduced to a fine powdery ash. It will take at least one year for

this hillside to restore itself. Munton fires had become an annual

problem and the cost in these times when money is tight is pretty hefty.

�8 million was spent last year on tackling this. �28 million over

three years. That is in hard cash. Also, we would have groups visiting

these mountains and I had a group from London at three weeks ago and

they were still looking at the format and the environment which

was recovering from the last fire. Last night, it is estimated could

have cost �40,000, and Bill which will be picked up by the taxpayer.

We have had contracts going on and we take the branch of the side of

the trees and then we plant the trees again. It is expensive. It is

expensive dealing with the planting again and any other work on top of

that. It is quite substantial. Environmentalists say if the local

community wants to be that the tourism benefits, it is going to

have to help police at the course fire problem.

They were paid to nearly �70 million from the public purse for

one year of criminal legal aid work, but we do not know who they were

until today. The identities of the top earning 200 barristers and

solicitors firms have now been revealed, despite objections from

the small number of lawyers. The legal aid system here is the most

generous in the world. Who gets paid what is the sensitive subject.

In May last year, it was revealed that 200 barristers and solicitors

firms had been paid almost �70 million during a 12 month period up

to the end of March, at 2011. The sums paid were published, but not

their identities of those who receive the money, because a small

number of barristers and one firm of solicitors objected. That all

changed today. Figures released today reveals that the top earning

a legal aid barrister in Northern Ireland during that time was this

man. He was paid almost �900,000. Also named were three other

barristers who earned over �500,000. A further 16 who were paid upwards

of �250,000. The top 20 barristers received more than �8 million. When

it comes to solicitor's firms, the top earner was this company. They

received over �2.5 million. Another seven firms also received more than

�1 million. A further 29 firms were paid over �500,000 and 40 other

firms received more than �250,000. Those figures do not include what

the barristers and solicitors were paid for the private legal work.

They also cover a period when many of the top barristers refuse to

take on the most complex and highly paid cases in a protest at a move

by the Justice Minister David Ford to introduce new lower fees for

legal aid work. The new fees have now been introduced and the

minister says that the move will result in much lower payments in

future years. I am confident that the new rates will be significantly

less. They will still represent fair payment for the work being

done, but they will no longer be significantly higher. Barristers

and solicitors have said they believed the reduced fees will

damage the quality of legal representation on offer to those

who qualified for legal aid. You are watching BBC Newsline and

still to come. He is from Northern Ireland and he is elected. The

doctor making a difference in Uganda.

Why take the ferry to Scotland when you can paddle your own surfboard?

Sat today sees the opening of Titanic Belfast, a visitor

attraction that has taken three years to build at a cost of �97

million. BBC Newsline has been following its progress and tonight

Donna Traynor is there. Yes, we are inside this massive building, what

has been described as a visitor experience were people will be

taken on the Titanic journey. The official opening is on Saturday,

but this is our first opportunity to broadcast from inside and this

is the start of our coverage of the Titanic Festival which runs right

through until 22nd April. This is the area and the spot with that

famous ship was built by Harland and Wolff 100 years ago. One of the

galleries inside here takes us back to that time, 1912, when the City

of Belfast was described as Boomtown Belfast. Julie McCullough

explains why it got that name. Belfast 1912. This is what it look

like and this is what people were listening to. And they were

travelling from as far away and further to get work from what was

then Ireland's biggest city. The wages were high and industry was

booming. Belfast was a world leader when it came to manufacturing,

famous for its linen mills and shipbuilding. Despite the

prosperity, cracks were already beginning to show. Belfast was in

many ways a divided city and the political temperature was certainly

rising in 1912. You had the support for and opposition to home rule and

that was really the political fault-lines in the city were

clearly defined in 1912. It did create a... The atmosphere was more

tense. It in 1912, these divisions spilled over into places like the

shipyard, which was beginning to get a bit of a reputation.

Prosser's work here, but so did Catholics. The census shows us that

people work different religions and spoke different languages and my

generation might have believed it was a Protestant shipyard, but it

wasn't. There were Catholics there. 100 years ago, employment practices

here were not the main focus of Harland and Wolff. Nearly one

million people were leaving Europe each year to make a new life in the

United States. There was a demand for bigger and better ships. Ships

like the Titanic, the record- breaking piece of engineering that

the people of Belfast could be proud of. The most famous ship in

the world sit -- soon became something this city and the

shipyard wanted to forget about. There was not so much shame as

shock and dented pride. It was not talked about in the yard or by the

people of Belfast. We are not very good at blowing our own trumpet.

Here we have a global icon, which belongs to Belfast and we are

taking pride in that. We must never forget that 1,500 people died and

that is the reason why we are talking about it. Let us use the

hook of the Titanic to bring people, to bring you like to this area. I

think this building behind us and what is then it will energise this

area and will bring life back to what was a hiding place in 1912.

Despite the tragedy, Harland and Wolff remained in hiding place for

many years. The First World War brought big orders and the Yard

remained one of the main employers in Belfast. It is a different story

today. While once there were more than 30,000 people working here,

now there are around 700. Looking down from one of the great cranes

that stands here, you can see just how much this place has changed in

the last century. Although the company still carries out ship

repairs, it has not built a ship in nearly ten years. Unlike many of

its contemporaries, it has survived, although any different guise, and

now making wind turbines. But it will always be famous for ship

building and it will always be famous for building one ship. It is

just taking 100 years for us to accept that this is something to be

This is where the Titanic was launched, behind me. We are about

to meet the man who led the team of builders later.

A doctor from Northern Ireland made the headlines last year when he

stood for election as the mayor of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Dr

Ian Clarke won a landslide victory. His role tonight will be recognised

in an awards ceremony at Stormont. Uganda has adopted him as one of

its own. Ian Clarke calls himself the Irish

Ugandan. He felt it was his duty to try to fix the problems that he saw

around him, like filling in the potholes, so he stood for election

and one. I am a dual citizen and I have a responsibility not just to

talk about problems but to put myself forward to do something. The

only position was to be mayor, the person who has responsibility for

emptying toilers and collecting garbage. He has lived in Uganda for

25 years, first as missionary, later as businessmen. An

international hospital in Kampala or caters for the needs of Uganda's

middle-class and expat community. It is part of a group of healthcare

committees which employed around 800 people. This ward provides

charitable services for children from poor families with complex

medical conditions. It is the second hospital Ian has builds in

Uganda. His first says a larger rural population. It is a legacy

which has transformed the lives of Uganda's -- Ugandans. A I hope to

do what I can in terms of sustainable development. I want to

have an influence as a role model. Ian Clarke has adopted Uganda as

his home, and in turn, Uganda has adopted him.

UUP leadership candidate John McAllister was forced to play

midwife this morning when his wife went into labour one week early.

The South Down MLA is buying with Mike Nesbitt 40 party leadership

election on Saturday. Mr McAllister's wife Jane went into

labour at 7am today. The ambulance crew talking through the procedure

on the telephone and he developed - - delivered Harry James on the

bathroom floor. We spoke to him outside Craigavon Hospital. There

was so much happening so quickly and there was no time. It is only

when you are looking back that you think about it. A lovely experience

to look back on. Something I will treasure for a long time.

From a new baby to a new visitor attraction. Titanic Belfast in the

docks area of the city cost �97 million with most of that coming

from taxpayers. I had a walk around this massive structure and it

really is huge. So much work has gone into it. Behind me is the

largest escalator in Ireland. It is not turned on now, but it will be

ready to rock and roll for the official opening on Saturday. From

outside, this building looks a bit like a diamond, other people say it

looks like an iceberg. You can make up your mind. We take a look at its

It has taken six year to plan. It has taken three years to build. Now,

Parcel the idea was to fracture the facade. I sold it to the client on

the basis of a cat diamond at -- Kurtz diamond and that whichever

direction the sun was coming from, The outside is absolutely stunning.

It is definitely an iconic symbol for Belfast, symbol of ambition,

challenge, symbol of hope for the future. It is often referred to a

ship's hull. It is quite nice that is not too literal. Some people

refer to the iceberg itself, B Sharpe like appearance of the

cladding. It is a special building. More than 1000 people worked on

site during construction, and those who did say it is more than a

building. It is a statement. strength of this building is the

largest Titanic exhibition in the world. It will teach people about

the artisans and shipbuilding magnates and the great leaders who

are concentrated in Belfast. This will restore Belfast as a

centrepiece of one of the finest areas of shipbuilding all over the

Very impressive. The man who managed the construction, Noel

Molloy, it is the end of your journey. It is on time, but how

difficult for you was this construction process? It was not

difficult, but complex. It was intense in the way we did it. The

difficulty was taken out of it by the attitude we had from everybody

building it here. One of the first principles we wanted when they came

here was that everybody knew what we are trying to deliver, not just

a building, but a experience. People from far and wide and will

come to see this. It was just a matter of getting the job done.

it was not just a place of work. Did people take on the significance

that it was to do with the Titanic and its history? Absolutely. When I

see a painter painting a wall, I know and he knows he is not just

painting a wall. He realises what he is part of. It is similar to 100

years ago when everybody was part of building a should. There is an

intense pride it in all the steelworkers, Elettra she's,

painters and concrete workers. -- elections. Congratulations. Thank

you for joining us. We are back inside the titanic building

tomorrow, when we will give you a closer look at the galleries and

the visitor experience here. Also tomorrow, life, -- we go live with

our special Titanic website. If you are interested in before school, or

for history, visit our website. That goes live tomorrow morning. We

also have a special Twitter name you can follow. From the fantastic

visitor attraction here, back to the studio.

In sport, the Northern Irish ice- skater Jenna McCorkell has posted a

season's best at the World Championships in Nice. She is on

course for their best-ever overall performance.

Jenna McCorkell was the winner of the qualification programme Indies.

She took that form into today's short programme. These data showed

poise and confidence and concluded her performance with a smile.

is very happy with that. Good reason! That is as well as she has

stated in a short programme. judges seemed to agree. That'll be

fine. She is not just in the top eight. She is up to second.

season's best and a credible 12th overall. Next is the free programme

on Saturday. If you travelled to Scotland, you

decide between the plane or the ferry. Now there is another form of

transport. A Coleraine man has completed the crossing on a

surfboard. He went from the Giant's Causeway to the island of Islay.

Al Mennie is one of Northern Ireland's best-known big wave

surfers. But this see Jenny was a little different. At 25 -- a 25

mile paddle across the Irish Sea. He planned for freezing

temperatures, but was soon wishing he had packed the suncream. I set

of thinking it would be too cold. I am actually sweating buckets. It is

so warm! The crossing was not all smiles. Accompanied by friends in

two safety beds, conditions and sea currents cause difficulties. It

made progress slow. It was tougher than I thought. I ended up doing

the whole thing in nine hours 25 minutes. It was tough for me. I'm

glad I had all the boys here. The guys in the boat were really good.

They all helped me and egg to be on. One of the reasons for making this

crossing was to raise money for a local charity, but Al Mennie has

developed a reputation in recent years for unusual stance on the

open water. What would he come up with next?

A brave man. They are looking for a nickname for the new statue in a

titanic building. Now we look at It is a bit chilly here right now.

The wind is coming down the block. And outside the main entrance. It

will breezy -- be breezy on Saturday if you are coming down to

the opening. At least it will be dry. Temperatures were falling

today. That will continue over the next few days. For the weekend, it

will stay largely dry, but with a lot more cloud around. Temperatures

are falling. Two years ago at this time of year, the critters were out.

There was snow and ice. A big contrast for this time of year.

This evening, cloud increases, moving southwards tonight. There

may be a spot of drizzle tonight in the North West, but for most places

it is dry. No frost or fog. That cloudier weather will continue into

tomorrow. Not a pretty start tomorrow with no lovely sun rises

likely at this morning again. In fact, it will be dull. There will

be a hint of dampness at first. As we going to be afternoon, it will

brighten up. The best temperatures I'm sure until -- sheltered areas

of Arman and County Down. It will reach 14 Celsius on the North coast.

The cloud gathers again tomorrow night, and on Saturday, it is