03/05/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Sarah Travers and Noel

Thompson The headlines this Thursday evening:

The police are to assess the BBC's This World documentary as pressure

mounts on Cardinal Brady. We will take an evidence based

assessment of the material in the programme.

BMI baby is to be grounded from September with some routes stopped

from next month. . Health officials say reforming

the NHS will involve paying millions of pounds to management

consultants. We have the cleanest bathing waters

ever, but will it last. Join me live to find out more.

Glentoran's financial troubles continue. Now the club's supporters

want answers. I'll have the latest. It was warmer than average today

because of the sunshine, but it's back to normal tomorrow! Find out

why shortly. Good evening. More pressure on Cardinal Sean

Brady today with the SDLP leader calling for him to resign as head

of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Other senior politicians have also

questioned his role. The controversy surrounds claims that

in a BBC the cardinal failed to report abuse cases to the

authorities or to the parents of the children involved. The police

said they would be examining the programme as part of a wider

inquiry. Cardinal Brady insists he did everything that was expected

him of the time, but he at mitts it was part of a culture of silence.

The headlines won make easy reading for Sean for Cardinal Brady, the

1975 child abuse inquiry and the BBC documentary have created huge

pressure on him to step down. As a cleric, he had been part of a

church team that took evidence from a teenager abused by Procurator

Fiscal priest Brendan -- -- paedophile paedophile priest,

Brendan Smith. The child to gave evidence was

sworn to secrecy. Cardinal Brady wrote up a report for his bishop,

but it didn't stop Smith who was only arrested 16 years later. At

Stormont's justice committee today, there was a call for the Chief

Constable to investigate it all. At that stage, the 1967 criminal

law, Northern Ireland Act was in force and that Act states a person

commits an offence if he holds information that is is likely to

secure. The tariff for the sentence for someone who deliberately

withholds information as far as child sex abuse is a maximum jail

sentence of ten years. Mr Wells was accused of political

grand standing. We are not at the stage at having

launched an investigation against Cardinal Brady. We wouldn't talk

about individual cases. What we are doing is assessing the information

that is available to us and we will do the right thing in terms of

following through on what the evidence presents to us.

Yesterday, the cardinal claimed the documentary had exaggerated his

had done what he was asked by his bishop and the responsibility for

reporting the abuse was not his, but the boy who gave the cardinal

the names almost 40 years agok and ago, said that wasn't sufficient.

I was angry because again he is failing to acknowledge his failings

of what he should have done and he I don't know why he has taken that

job as cardinal. He must have known it would haunt him some day.

The Gardai said they have no comment on the programme, but the

political establishment in the Republic has more to say. The

Deputy Prime Minister told the Dahl the Dail that he thought Cardinal

Brady was not fit to hold authority. The SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell

will be live on Hearts and Minds at 7.30pm on BBC Two where he'll be

A public sector watchdog has recommended that the planning

service should pay �33,000 in compensation to three County Tyrone

residents for failing to enforce planning regulations at the

Cavenacaw gold mine near Omagh. Campaigners say the ruling could

set a precedent allowing others to claim damages. Kevin Magee has this

This congestion was a common scene on the small country roads around

the Omagh gold mine in 2008. A seemingly endless cavalcade of

lorries hauling thousands of tonnes from the rock to the mine to a road

building scheme at Ballygawley. Back then a resident expressed her

anger. My driveway is now a lay-by for the

public and for lorries. I don't care about the roads. The roads are

not my main main concern, it is the death of one of my children.

convoy of lorries went on for eight months. When the mile started up,

residents expected normal traffic levels. The reality was different.

Up to 145 truck loads of rock was removed from the mine along these

narrow roads on a daily basis. Planners were told, but it took

them a year to issue enforcement action and tell the mine operators

to stop removing the rock. These residents complained to the om bus

to the ombudsman over over the delay and won their case.

With had schoolchildren jumping up on to ditches out of the road of

the of the trucks and no one seemed to care. The planning service let

us down. The ombudsman recommended that the

planning should give the three residents who complained �10,000

each in compensation. It was never about the money or the

compensation. The money will probably go to our legal advisers.

It is a victory for people like myself up and down the country who

feel they have been let down by the planning service, who feel they

have been let down by the, what is their set-up by Government to

protect them. But not stopping the unauthorised removal of the rock,

the ombudsman said there was maladministration. Environmental

campaigners say his findings will encourage others.

Today should mark a sea change. It should open the floodgates to give

remedies to local people and if the planners don't listen, what today

signals is that the ombudsman will. The Chief Executive of the

corporation which owns the mine said he he has not seen the report,

The planning minister said the fine will be paid in what he said was

the highest come compensation payment recommended by the

ombudsman. Kevin is with me now with another

story. The breaking news on BMI Baby. The airline is ending all

flights. What destinations are affect snd. 11 destinations are

affected by this. The three regional routes, that's Belfast

City to East Midlands and Birmingham and London Stansted will

go. The eight European destinations will seize. The holiday routes of

Alicante, Malaga, Palm and Ibiza and Minorca will end. The 10th June

is the last day that there will be flights from BMI Bayy leaving --

baby leaving Belfast City Airport. The BMI flight from Belfast to

Heathrow will not be affected. There was Attempts being made to

find a buyer for BMI Baby and that hasn't happened and the airline

will be grounded from September, but all the impact at the City

Airport takes effect after the 10th June.

It is worrying news for those who have who have booked. What do they

do? The airline said they should do one of two things. Anybody who has

booked should get in touch with BMI Baby and they will be offered a

refund. Staff will attempt to find alternative travel arrangements for

people and help them out by trying to find them routes on other

airlines. The brother of the disabled

teenager Rebecca McKeown, who was once arrested on suspicion of

murdering her, has been testifying at the trial of his grandparents.

David and Sarah Johnston are accused of Rebecca's manslaughter

11 years ago. Belfast Crown Court heard that Stewart McKeown has a

number of criminal convictions. Chris Page was in the court. David

and Sarah Johnson are on trial for manslaughter and child cruelty. The

prosecution claim that one or both of them sexually assaulted their

granddaughter and that the attack led to Rebecca's death from

pneumonia in March 2001. There was another suspect,

Rebecca's brother, who was in the witness box today, he was 16 at the

time his 14-year-old sister died. The family lived in this street.

Stewart MacKeown told the court that on the day Rebecca was

allegedly sexually assaulted, he was only alone with her in the

house for a minute or two. He said the only physical contact he had

with her was to brush away hair from her eye. The court heard that

Stewart MacKeown had been convicted of a number of crimes. In 2002 he

broke into an elderly woman's bedroom through a window. He

admitted he subjected the woman to a terrifying experience, but he

said, he couldn't remember the incident because he was on drink

and drugs. A defence lawyer questioned Mr MacKeown about his

arrest four years ago. Mr MacKeown's fingerprints were found

on Rebecca's nappy. The lawyer David and Sarah Johnson in their

late 80s, deny the charges. Their trial will resume on Tuesday when

Stewart Mc Keown is expected to Still to come on the programme:

Why the regeneration of this part of Belfast will take longer than

expected. We will hear what Glentoran

supporters make of the football club's latest financial

difficulties. Some good news if you're planning

to holiday at home this year. Our bathing waters are better quality

than ever. We are now on a par with the rest of the UK when it comes to

good beaches, but will it last? Our environment correspondent, Mike

McKimm is on Ballywalter Beach on the County Down coast. Mike, its

had the stamp of approval. Indeed. shining, but a sea fog has rolled

in, but it doesn't take away from this beach because it is one of the

16 recommended across Northern Ireland. Now this is not about a

Blue Flag beach. It is not about the beach itself. It is about the

water, the quality of the bathing water. That's a decision taken by

the Marine Conservation Society. They have been strict, but Northern

Ireland has done well. All the beaches along the north coast have

been recommended for their bathing quality. That means that pollution,

sewage, was low or non-existent. Most of the beaches are regular

winners which suggested there are no problems in the area. But it is

a different story along the East Coast of Antrim and Down. This

beach was recommended last year, but this year, it only scraped

through because it met the basic standards. But just a few miles up

the coast, the beach at Waterfoot tells the opposite story. It

scraped a guideline pass last year, but this year it comes highly

recommended. All of that suggests that quite a

few of our beaches are still prone to pollution especially after

storms and heavy rain. This overwhelms some of our sewage

systems and flushes untreated material on to our beaches. You can

find a full list of the recommended beaches on the BBC News website.

Every beach in Northern Ireland met the basic criteria and passed this

year. There were no failures. But with standards about to get tougher,

it may not be such a good news story in the next few years.

Mike, clearly tougher regulations will make it harder to win a

recommendation? Well, it will. That's why we have got to be

careful about what we do in the future. We have got to patrol and

police the amount of sewage more tightly and the Environment

Minister has set-up special quality beach summits to make sure that the

various people like the Water Service and Northern Ireland Water

and the councils are getting involved in trying to make things

better and that's going to be important because if we don't, by

2015 we maybe forced to put signs up saying, "This beach is not

suitable for bathing." That's not good for tourism. What about now?

Well, it is a lovely evening here. It is warm. The beach is empty and

think I might go in for a paddle! Mike, thank you very much indeed.

A major plan to reform the Health Service here is going to involve

paying millions of pounds to management consultants. Health

Service leaders say the spending is Plan. But the unions have described

the move as scandalous and have an ulterior motive. Marie-Louise

Connolly has the story. It delivers healthcare to almost 1.8 million

people, employs 70,000 staff and spends over 40% of the budget. It

is a mammoth organisation, undergoing huge change led by this

man, John Compton. What is your direction? What is your strategy?

There has been much hype about what he can deliver. Six months into the

review, management consultants Ernst & Young are being employed to

draw up population plans outlining who needs what and where. It will

cost millions. Remember back to the transforming

your care, the minister said tell me what you are doing in every

hospital. I took the view that it would be better to have that debate

locally with the local population. When health trusts are asked to

save millions, it is hardly surprising the health unions give

this reaction. What is the function then of the

Department of Health? The health and social care board and the

public health agency? We have to bring these external accountancy

firms in in order to draw up plans? What's the ulterior motive? The 99

recommendations are spread across all agencies, the minister insists

he is responsible. Well, the buck stops with me. I

commissioned this. I asked John Compton to lead the team.

Transforming your care is something that I commissioned and it will be

up to myself and the department, the HSE, and the Trusts and the

comirging bodies -- -- commissioning bodies to implement.

It is right that the minister said it is his responsibility. For

example, who is going to determine how many acute hospitals we need in

this country? But that could be determined by what the accountants

produce. They could say that the population doesn't justification

A&E units at the Causeway and Daisy Hill Hospitals.

The use of external consultants is to provide cover for changes that

the system wanted to make. I am not sure what the outcome will be, but

we thought this work would have been done before.

It is not unusual for large organisations such as the Health

Service to employ management consultants to help deliver radical

plans. But the scale of this financial outlay compared to to

complaints from hfs staff about -- NHS staff about resources they have

to work in is likely to provoke debate about whether or not

contracts like this are value for A �21 million construction contract

aimed at regenerating parts of East Belfast has been terminated meaning

a big delay in getting the work done. The contract funded by

Department for Social Development and the Big Lottery Fund was to

build a community greenway and alleviate flooding. So what's

happened? Here's Stephen Walker. This project would revitalise

rivers like this in East Belfast, create new walkways and cycle paths

and alleviate flooding. Construction work stopped last year

when the contractors in Belfast City Council became embroiled in a

dispute over how the work was delivered. The council has written

to the two contractors and ended the agreement.

There has been too much delay in this process to date. There have

been numerous reasons for that, I want to see the process kick start

now. The scheme is still going ahead,

but it is now a year behind schedule. It is always unfortunate

if a contract has to be terminateks but sometimes that's -- terminated

but sometimes that's the best place who can deliver the rest of

the scheme. . Today, there was another twist.

After the two contractors were informed by the council that the

contract was being ended, they contacted the council and asked for

a mutual termination. Talks are now underway.

The council will have to find new contractors despite all the the

difficulties they remain optimistic that the greenway will be built by

Last night, we revealed that Glentoran players and staff haven't

bee paid their wages for April. Tonight, the club is holding its

AGM in east Belfast. Austin O'Callaghan is there. Do we know if

anyone has been paid yet? They, haven't, Noel. This is starting to

affect a wider range of players, the club's secretary and Glentoran

might be in a position to pay some of those people tomorrow. The

ongoing financial problems have dogged this football club. Fans

attending the AGM in half an hour's time in the hotel behind me will be

looking for answers. Michael Magee, what questions will you be asking?

We really need to know why. Every few months we are going from one

crisis to another. No money to pay or Joe. People need to know, are

they going to get their wages? If not, the players can walk. The last

five months we have been fined from the IFA by not paying our players

on time. You received two substantial cash

injections in the last 18 months, why isn't there money to pay the

wages? People would like to know. We got �480,000 from a benefactor

and another �500,000 in February. Where has it gone? People would

like to know the answers. Do you worry for the club? I do. I

am a long life supporter, all my my life and I would hate to see them

go to the wall. What message do you have for the

officials? Get your act together, please and soon.

Michael, thank you. We hope you get your questions answered in

Tonight's meeting. We will stay for the rest of the sport.

Last month we brought you the story of how the men's hockey team

narrowly missed out on qualification. The Great Britain

team will be competing and there are two Ulster men who hope to be

part of that squad. The gold medal ceremony. Two Ulster

men were part of the Great Britain team, Stephen Martin won gold as

well as a bronze four years earlier in Los Angeles. Leaning forward to

receive his medal, Jimmy Kirkwood. Martin has put his medals on

display in Jordan stown. It is great to see some Ulster

players again. It is disappointing the Irish team didn't qualify. We

could have had 14 or 15 Ulster players playing for different teams.

Hopefully Ian and Mark will make it for the Games.

I know the two guys have worked hard. Ian is playing well. You know,

it would be a big surprise if he doesn't make it. Mark has been

plagued by injuries. He has done tremendously well to get in there

as a contender. I wish him all the best and we wish them both the best.

Mark was not picked for the test event, but Ian played a full part

in last night's opening match against Germany. A match GB lost in

bizarre fashion. Their players were coming back on to the field of play

as the second half began. Germany scored from the restart and went on

to win 3-1. Let's hope timing is better when the main event starts

in July. The Ireland rugby international

David Wallace will retire from the game at the end of this season. The

illustrious career because of an him to miss last year's World Cup

in New Zealand. He won 72 Irish caps. Today Ulster coach Brian

McLaughlin, who worked with Wallace at both under-20 and senior level

for Ireland paid this tribute. is a fantastic rugby player. A

natural seven. He became a true legend. He was a brilliant player,

but most importantly, he is a lovely, lovely guy.

He's currently Gaelic football's longest serving senior intercounty

manager. Now Tyrone have confirmed that Mickey Harte will remain

charge of the team for three more years up to 2015. Harte's led

Tyrone to three All-Ireland titles during his nine years in charge.

Armagh in the Ulster Championship. That's it from East Belfast where

the Glentoran AGM starts shortly. The fans want answers, whether they

will get them, who knows? will get them, who knows?

Now the weather. Today, the sunshine was out in

force as you saw there in East Belfast and for parts of the West

and Tyrone and Fermanagh, temperatures of 18 Celsius. Well

Well above average for the time of year.

Tonight, this evening, we have some more sunshine to come. As we go

tonight, you will notice it clouding over because we have a

cold front. It will signal a change. It will drive away the milder air.

Behind that, we drag in the cold air and the cooler winds from the

north. Tomorrow, you will notice a big difference in temperatures in

some places. It is a cooler day and it won't be as bright or sunny

unfortunately. There will be light rain for many of us. It will be a

grey start and cloudy and it will be noticeably cooler. Temperatures

anywhere between around about 10 Celsius to 13 Celsius. 18 Celsius

in Fermanagh today. Further West, further east rather in Belfast,

perhaps 13 Celsius. Now although it will get off to a grey and damp

start, the good news is that sinks southwards bringing in brighter

spells and sunshine for the evening. But it is going to bring with it a

cooler night with temperatures between 3 and 5 Celsius. We may see

a touch of grass frost forming. A chilly start to the weekend, but

the good news is Saturday will be a descent day. It will feel colder,

especially along the north coast, but further south, temperatures

will manage to get up into the double figures and there will be

some good spells of sunshine. It won't be until the secretary part

of the -- second part of the weekend that we have a cloudier

picture for Sunday. For Bank Holiday Monday, we hold on to the

cooler temperatures. The important thing for the marathon runners on

Monday, it will be a cool day. The winds will be light.