19/11/2015 BBC Newsline

Here on BBC 1, it's time for the news where you are.

Peter Robinson has said he decided to step down as First Minister

and DUP leader after, in his words, "stabilising" Stormont.

He told the BBC it was "difficult" to find the right time to step down,

but following this week's political deal, now seemed "appropriate".

He's been speaking to our Political Editor, Mark Devenport.

There is some flash photography in this report.

It has been an open secret in DUP circles. Today, with a deal done and

party activists about together their annual conference, Peter Robinson

confirmed he is stepping down. In politics, it is very difficult to

find the exact moment that is right to announce a departure. Politics,

by its very nature, continues to flow on, and thereafter in several

layers, so you never really get the end of a chapter, and I think really

what we have at the present time with the agreement that has been

raised is as close as you are going to get to the end of a chapter, and

I hope we get the process within the party so we can have a new leader in

place and give them a good time to settle in before the assembly

election. After 1970s, Peter Robinson Willie

Young estate agent, but he was spurred to enter politics after the

murder of a school friend in an IRA bombing. Then followed a long career

in Unionist protest politics, which included his arrest for taking part

in a loyalist incursion into account the Monaghan village, wearing a red

beret at an Ulster resistance rally. However, Peter Robinson also built a

formidable reputation as a politician. Eventually, he became

one of the chief architects of the DUP's except since a power-sharing

after the St Andrews talks. He succeeded Ian Paisley as First

Minister in 2008, but within two years, faced a personal crisis after

the BBC's Spotlight programme revealed his wife Iris's Spotlight

programme revealed his wife Iris' personal and financial relationship

with a 19-year-old businessman, a scandal stress.

I only ask that people feel they must judge her, they find within

themselves as I have done the gift of doing so, of the gift of mercy

and compassion. He survived the controversy and the loss of his East

fast seek to be Alliance party. This year, the DUP took back east

Belfast, but Mr Robinson faced another ordeal when he suffered a

heart attack. However, he said he had made up his mind to go before

his scare. No, indeed, that occurred after I

had informed the party offices of my intention to stand down. If it had

happened before, it may well have been one of the factors I would have

taken into consideration, because the job is an exacting job, rigorous

and at times brutal. Last year, the late Ian Paisley used

a documentary to complain about being forced out of the DUP

leadership by Peter Robinson and others, but Mr Robinson says he

won't be doing the same. I simply wouldn't find myself in the

position where I'm going to turn on friends and colleagues who have

supported me throughout my lifetime. I will be there to give

support, to encourage those who follow, and if the party wants me to

give advice, I will give it, but I will not stick my nose in and

interfere in future decision-making. I will be there to

encourage and to support. DUP supporters are likely to use

this week and's party conference as an opportunity to give a lead a

rousing sendoff, although he will remain in place until his successor

is chosen, probably in the New Year. There's uncertainty about the future

of a major retail-led regeneration scheme in Belfast after the

Department of Social Development The Royal Exchange project is

supposed to to regenerate an area roughly between Castle Court

and St Anne's Cathedral. Here's our Economics and

Business Editor John Campbell. This area was historically the

centre of Belfast as the city grew up in the late 1800 's. But it has

been in decline for years. A major regeneration scheme, known as Royal

Exchange, has planning permission and government backing. But now, it

has hit a snag. The preferred developer owns about half the land

needed for the Royal Oak 's change scheme. The Department for social

development agreed to use its powers to take control of other buildings

which were needed. But now, the department says it does not think

the developer can deliver, and so the agreement is at an end.

So what happens next? The department will look for a new

regeneration that now. There is also speculation the existing developer

could sell up. It is clear this scheme is going to need a large

injection of private sector money. It could cost as much as ?350

million to complete. It will also need an anchor tenants to make it

viable. Both John Lewis and the BBC have been linked to this scheme,

neither organisation has expressed any further interest.

A man is in a critical condition in intensive care

after being shot in the head in west Belfast this morning.

The man - who is in his forties - is believed to be a member

of the traveller community. Two men have been arrested.

The father of a teenager with disabilities who was left alone on

a school bus for almost three hours has said his daughter now rarely

The driver and a special needs escort failed to drop her off

Instead, she was left on the bus at a depot.

Our south west reporter Julian Fowler has the details.

17-year-old Sophie Kerr uses a wheelchair and is unable to speak.

Four weeks ago, she was picked up by a bust to take it will abridge

special-needs school, but she was left on the bus, which was then

driven to a depot and parked up for nearly three hours before she was

found. As far as the school is concerned,

she was maybe off sick or had an appointment. As far as we knew, she

was at school, so it was a grey area. Nobody knew where she was at

the time. Sophie was left cold and upset by

what had happened. It is extremely dangerous. With

Sophie, we are lucky that she doesn't have as many needs as some

of the children, but some of the children, it could have been

life-threatening if they had been left in same situation.

It is understood the bus trial and an adult who ask what's the

special-needs pupils have been suspended while an investigation is

carried out. The education authority said they

took immediate action, and contacted the parents to offer an unreserved

apology. They also said they had written a letter to provide

assurances that all steps will be taken to prevent such an incident

occurring again. The family say they are still

waiting to receive the letter of apology.

They want procedures put in place to alert parents if their child does

not arrive in school. Now that they have lost trust in the bus transport

arrangements, Sophie is instead being taken to school by taxi.

Now, AP McCoy's final season as a jump jockey is the subject of a new

The Moneyglass legend and his wife Chanelle were among the

The documentary gives insight into his final year as a jockey and the

Tomorrow night on BBC Newsline, we'll be hearing from the man

himself and finding out if he feels the film was an accurate portrait.

That's tomorrow on BBC Newsline starting at 6.30 here on BBC 1.

Chillier weather is on the way. Angie has the forecast.

Good evening. We are about to get a taste of winter over the next day or

two. For the meantime, still fairly quiet tonight. The breeze eases a

little, dryer with cooler spells. Chilean part of the countryside, low

enough for pockets of ground frost. Later in the night, showery rain

approaches the north, the first sign of a transition to call the Rec,

which will be flooding across the whole country through tomorrow and

the start of the weekend. So a cold day tomorrow, the wind picking up,

showers eventually showing signs of turning wintry, but through the

morning, as the showery rain comes south, just rain falling from the

sky. It breaks up a little as it heads into the Republic across

southern Scotland and its northern England North Wales. Rain clears to

the south-west of England, and then it is largely dry and bright. To the

north of that front, bright as well, with wintry showers and buzzard

conditions moving into words the North of Scotland. Into Northern

Ireland as well, blustery afternoon, and we'll see the showers turning

into a mix of Hale, sleet and hill snow. Very cold is brisk winds,

highs around 6-7 . We're what is Winsford tomorrow night on Saturday.

A wind warning is in place. We might see Gayle is in place. We might see

of up to 60 miles an hour around parts of the coast through tomorrow.

Again, wintry showers of sleet and snow settling above 150 metres, also

becoming ICS temperatures truck those to freezing. So wintry start

to the weekend, frost on Saturday night, and a bit more dry on Sunday.

Our next BBC Newsline is at 6.25 in the morning

You can also keep updated with News Online. Goodnight.