04/02/2016 BBC Newsline

Tonight's top stories: The friend of a west Belfast mugging victim

says the woman is now too scared to leave her own home.

She doesn't like to do it unless somebody is with her, like one of

the daughters. Even ensuring the day. -- even ensuring the day.

Rail investigators and the PSNI are trying to find out how digger

equipment was left on the Lisburn to Portadown line this morning

I'm here at the MAC in Belfast city centre which is going to cost

?1 million of public money to be fixed.

It has hosted concerts and cultural events. But will a new plan for

Ebrington create a leaving -- breathing, living hope? Mixed

fortunes for a champions on day one of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Also on the programme: After a dull, grey day today, Friday starts

Hello and welcome to the programme this Thursday evening.

The sight of many people on the streets of Belfast last night

underlined the fear among pensioners after number of muggings in the

area. One woman who suffered a broken wrist are still too

traumatised to talk about her attack. The PSNI have today

responded. It is a weekly lunch club in Saint

Peter's Parish Hall. A serious matter is under discussion. You pull

that out... The safety officers from the City Council giving advice and

personal alarms. It is all because of too violent muggings of senior

citizens and several house burglaries in recent weeks. In the

first incident, 78-year-old for us so laid suffered a broken wrist. She

was pushed to the ground cheering a mugging. The best friends say she

cannot talk about what happened without crying. She is scared to go

out unless somebody is with her, one of her daughters. Even in the

daytime. Just last Friday, 76 old Maureen Shepherd was left of the

broken jaw after being attacked in an alleyway of the streets. The two

incidents have left pensioners feeling vulnerable. Our neighbours

have all agree that if we going anywhere, one will keep an eye on

the house and we will have each other's phone numbers just in case

of an emergency. Last night several hundred people attended a rally to

show their support for victims of crime. And while people are

undoubtedly worried, the police say it is important to keep the

incidents in perspective. We want to do is reassure the community that

both those incidents are under investigation those investigations

remain alive and we are taken very seriously. But they are only a small

number of incidents, not in any way we downplay their seriousness, but

we don't greater fear of crime unnecessarily. Back in Saint

Peter's, and it's a full house for the bingo. A determination in the

face of fear to live life as normal. Volunteers have mounted a mercy

mission to save horses stranded They brought hay and feed

to the animals stuck on an island This report by our agriculture

and environment correspondent Conor Macauley contains some images

which you may find upsetting. The distress call had come in after

locals became aware of the stranded horses, laden down with he and walls

feed, volunteers from the community rescue service that off on a mercy

mission into Lough Beg near Toome. It is a wide and shallow lake with

lots of little Ireland's. It took us a while to locate the one we wanted.

There were 13 horses there, three of them were dead, lying out in the

open under heavy plastic. The ground was cut to ribbons and was no

grazing. The conditions are not ideal, the horses are friendly

enough and approachable enough, but they're certainly not starving. They

definitely need to be moved on soon as possible. They need shifting to a

better location, somewhere where there is extra food for them. First

examination, the horses do not seem to be in to buy their condition. The

ground on they were marooned is in a shocking state. We do not know who

owns these horses and we're not sure how they got here. One theory is

that they may have forwarded across a causeway at low water in the

autumn. By the time they had grazed the Ireland down, the winter floods

had raised the levels, pruning them. We would hope that someone will come

out and do something a bit more substantial, I know the water has

cut everything off here and it has certainly created a dilemma for the

owner of the horses as well. Samir had been left before we arrived, but

these animals in need moving to dry ground if they are not endure

further suffering. The welfare of horses in all the responsibility of

councils, in this case, the Mid Ulster Council. It said its welfare

officers have perceived -- receive the conflict and worth investigating

kits. -- were investigating it. An investigation's underway

into how a train collided with construction equipment

on the line between Lisburn The railway line has

been closed all day. A bus substitution service

is in place but commuters have This is the spots are just outside

Lisburn, where the 625 Belfast to Portadown train hit a large piece of

excavation machinery on the track. After hitting the machinery, the

train and then travelled around 250 metres to where it came to a stop,

right here. Then, the driver, conduct and seven passengers on

board had to make their way off the train in the dark and walk around

the kilometres to the next level crossing. Shattered windows, shocked

and shaken passengers and staff, but thankfully, no one was injured. It

is not that difficult to leave -- to move -- for a piece of machinery to

derail a train. I'm fully stayed on the trucks and we are looking at

something less serious than it could have been. Health and Safety

Executive, Translink and the PSNI are all involved in trying to find

exactly how and why such a large piece of equipment ended up on the

tracks. It appears it was a bit of a digger on the line, the train struck

at at around 6:55am. We are not clear how it arrived on the line and

it will be investigated fully. And because of that ongoing

investigation, the line between Lisburn and Portadown will remain

closed. But some substitutions will be in place. -- bus substitutions.

Almost a million pounds of public money is needed to repair a landmark

arts building which opened less than four years ago.

The figure was revealed in a letter to MLAs,

who were also told that a small part of the roof of the MAC in Belfast

Our arts correspondent Robbie Meredith is outside the MAC

Yes, a very popular building, a landmark building in Belfast. You

can see it lit up behind me, people are going in and out. Dublin in 2012

at a cost of just over ?70 million. A lot of money came from the public

purse, but about a year ago, it was noticed some parts of the stone

cladding on the front were falling off. Netting was put up, MLAs in the

culture committee were told it will cost six and a year ago, it was

noticed some parts of the stone cladding on the front were falling

off. Netting was put up, MLAs in the culture committee were told it would

cost six and ?1000 to fix the exterior in November. But today,

they got more details about the final bill and it is substantially

more. It is an award-winning builder,

belittle can currently be seen of it. Preparing the facade of the MAC

is going to come at a cost to the public purse. And that it MLAs said

that the Arts Council is seeking additional funding of almost

?940,000. That is work including the replacement of the stone facade.

They were told this was because pursuing liability for the work is

likely to be lengthy. Many MLAs are not happy. Another million pounds of

public money has to be spent on it. Absolutely. It is to not be

defective, not fit for purpose. I'm totally against forking out money,

nearly ?1 million, for something that they had literally no reason

to. The letter also said an aluminium panel was dislodged from

the roof and blown into the square jury by winds-macro last Friday. One

of the questions is why do we have to pay this million pounds, there's

a discussion about who is liable. And if it wasn't urgent, you

wouldn't pay now. But with a windy weather last week, you have to make

sure this building is safe. That is our paramount concern and the big

question to be answered. No one from the MAC was available for an

interview this Mac -- afternoon, but a statement, they said they would

remain open for business as usual. The MAC say the show will go on, but

why does the money has to come from the public purse? It is a question

of timing. Our legal proceedings going on to establish liability for

Bush about the cost of the work. It needs to be done right away. It

seems that the car, despite the culture committee MLAs unhappiness

is going to have to foot the bill for the exterior repair work to the

MAC. The Chief Constable has urged

politicians to act quickly to agree George Hamilton says it should not

be left to the police to deal Our Home Affairs Correspondent

Vincent Kearney reports. The policing board's job is to hold

the PSNI to account for its actions in the present. But today, once

again, the focus was very much on the past. We have entered the New

Year, but collectively as the society, the bus remains unresolved.

As is often the case, the past dominated today's meeting. In an

interview for the BBC, the Chief Constable said it was up to the

politicians to find a solution. I always say is my responsibility to

try and finish the business of the politicians, but actually, in the

absence of political agreement or some infrastructure to deal with it,

it all defaults to the police. We are so close that we will work with

everybody in a way that can be agreed upon, but can't actually get

the last 100 yards. It would be good if we could, because people are

suffering and people have stories to tell, there is information and

victims need to hear to bring some closure to their pain and trauma and

loss. A Chief Constable from the past has also urged politicians to

deal with the issue. He was speaking in an interview for the BBC

programmer to be broadcast tonight. Politicians on all sides to

represent all the communities need to sit around and come up with a

solution. It certainly won't happen without clear, joined a political

leadership. The Government has said ?150 million funding set aside for

bodies to deal with the past will be released -- will not be released

until politicians reach an agreement. The Chief Constable says

he does not believe it is the responsibility of the PSNI to deal

with the past. But until politicians can agree how to do it, it will

remain his problem. And there'll be more on that story

on The View at 10.45pm The First Minister says she supports

Shankill bomb victims in their search for the truth

after an allegation the RUC had After meeting some of the families,

Arlene Foster said she would support them

in their quest to get the Police Ombudsman

to carry out an inquiry. Of course I have been and continue

to be a long-term supporter of the RUC and the police service of

Northern Ireland, that doesn't take away from the fact there were a few

bad apples around at that particular point in time. Therefore we need to

get to the truth of this. I hear what the Chief Constable has to say

in relation to the allegation, but when you listen to the families and

how they have been traumatised in you, we have to give them beyond a

reasonable doubt the certainty that did not happen. If it did, we need

to find out that as well. The amalgamation of two grammar

schools in Enniskillen has divided Yesterday, a High Court judge

rejected a bid to prevent the merger Now parents are being urged

to get behind the plans for the new Enniskillen

Royal Grammar School. Here's our south west

reporter, Julian Fowler. Those opposed to the amalgamation

took their campaign to Stormont, and again a petition signed by 7000

people. Former collegiate pupil Arlene Foster said that the decision

to close a school that was successful and oversubscribed was

bizarre. But yesterday, a High Court judge said the decision was neither

irrational or unlawful and urged the leadership of the Collegiate to

devote its efforts to ensure the new school will fulfil its potential. In

response, the school's principle, Elizabeth Armstrong, said that while

many will be deeply disappointed by the judgment, we go forward from it

in our resolute and undaunted spirit of strong service to all young

people as we seek to establish the new school. Initially, the

Enniskillen while Grammar School will operate on a split site, but

there are plans to build a single new school for 900 pupils. The

amalgamation has a role was potential, but getting there is

difficult. So far, it has been very painful for summer and now the

healing can begin. But the vision could take years to become a

reality. This is the sight of another new school in Enniskillen

are more than a decade after it was promised. Building will not begin

for another year at least. He ate pupils join a school in September

will all come here to the site of the Collegiate. But it is not clear

if they will ever get to see a new school building. The process could

take at least five years. Three possible sites are being considered.

The Department for Education said the new grammar school is too early

in the planning stage to estimate when construction is likely to

commence. They said it is worth noting that if the obvious change

for Kane. Rapid change in the skill and have not been resistant for a

decade, this project will be much further advanced. Would be.

Planning permission was approved last month for more development

at the former Ebrington army site in Londonderry.

The Environment Minister Mark Durkan says the blueprint will be

a boost for business and tourism in the area.

But not everyone's happy with the pace of development.

Donna's been to Ebrington to hear more.

Have over the past 13 years, this place has been transformed from a

derelict army barracks into an open public space. But that is about it.

That company charged by the Government to regenerate this area

is no more, after official scrutiny of its practices. One business that

has set up here has told us it was a tough task, because of red tape and

bureaucracy. Will this new development plan" more private

enterprise here? This report from our Northwest reporter. BBC Radio

one's big weekend was just one of the many highlights cheering city of

culture year in 2013. This square has played host to many events as

thousands have gathered to celebrate and enjoy this shed space. None of

you are holding of 12 served it when I did, are you? Joe the troubles,

1000 soldiers were stationed here. But the former Mercury base was

handed over to the Stormont Executive in 2003 as part of the

peace process. This 26 acre site had huge potential. One young

entrepreneur who is now -- who has now established a restaurant said he

found it too much red tape when he started the business. We said it

need to be open within four or five months and it ended up being just

under a year. That was very frustrating. We saw first and

however what the levels of bureaucracy were in terms of opening

a building here and eventually, with the push strongly to get it through

and we were just at the tipping point. But then we opened in May

2000 15. A creative hope has been established in Ebrington, there are

many companies were 43 people. The company charged with developing a

massive site has now been wound up with the council all to be taking

responsibility for its growth. An independent report claimed they had

not been focusing on its core function in developing the site.

Criticism is warranted, but the report was overly critical. What it

does do is devalue the past work that the staff have delivered. Mark

Durkan is now approved plans for the entire site's development with

housing, offices, cafes and restaurants as well as a hotel,

museum and arts facilities. The Londonderry Chamber of Commerce says

Central Government must now help attract investment to this largest

regeneration site in the city. When the site was handed over, shortly

afterwards, we had another big is global recessions and that has had

an impact and has not been private-sector money been able to go

into that, so it has been left to Government and they have had

challengers, too. It very frustrating. So, frustration in many

quarters about the apparent lack of development on this massive site.

The challenge now is to try and entice those in the private sector

that have so far resisted a move onto this iconic waterfront sites.

With us now is the Minister approved the application and a financial

journalist, Paul Gosling. It is a greater vision, but is there a real

need 40s in that plan? It is a great vision, and there is a real need. I

was delighted last month to be in a position where I could give approval

for the development framework for this vast site of great potential. I

fear is vitally important that everyone works to ensure that

vision, the great vision is realised. It is a vision, but what

incentives are you giving to businesses and private enterprise to

take that leap of faith and develop the business on this side of the

river when they could do it across the way? I think we should look at

every avenue as a means of developing the site. We have seen

enterprise that is granted and should be explored for this city and

in particular for this site. Paul, what would developing a site into a

tourism and business hub mean for the local economy here and the wider

economy? If it could attract people from outside the area, businesses

and investment into the city, it could be transformative for the

city. This is an incredibly important site. But the development

has been so slow. It was granted to the city in 2003, in maybe 2033

before development is completed. This is a snail's Payson has really

let the city down. The difficulty though, we have heard from the

businesses, is the red tape and bureaucracy. That will put

businesses. What can be done to encourage them? We need to

streamline the system. They're having complex from businesses that

want to move him but were unable to. There have also been complaints from

people that they were hampered by procedure and bureaucracy. Ministers

need to look at the systems in place and streamline them and enable

people who want to get things done to do it. Minister, finally, it is a

risk to set up the business year, but you're a local man. Who has

spoken to you on what sort of interest has been voiced to you that

people want to come here? There has been huge interest in this site from

commercial and community and arts -based organisations. There's a huge

interest in this site. They recognise the potential of it and

the beautiful location of it. Thank you for joining me. I was a quite a

few years ago and this is a derelict army site. If this plan goes ahead,

by 2033, this will be a hub for business and tourism. Let us wait

and see. Legendary local musician

Van Morrison was knighted by the Prince of Wales in a ceremony

at Buckingham Palace The 70-year-old was

recognised for his services to the music industry and tourism

in Northern Ireland. He described the honour

as "exhilarating" and "not bad for a blue-eyed soul

singer from East Belfast". Now sport, and our three

Major Champions all flirted with the top end of

the leaderboard in Dubai today. Here's Gavin Andrews

with the sport. Rory McIlroy recovered from a poor

start to post a four-under-par round of 68 as he began the defence

of his Dubai Desert Classic title. He's two shots off the lead,

and wasn't the only local player to make a move on the opening day,

as Gavin Andrews reports. When he is on the form, Rory McIlroy

is one of the longest hitters in the game. Sometimes that can cause. But

the world number two has a habit of getting out of trouble. I hit a lot

of my shots out there. I had an idea that that short a team is going to

go underwater, it came off way too hot for my liking, but yes, I stayed

positive because I had a great team shot. I said to my caddie that it

would be great to make birdie he and I was able to do that. I had a

couple of great shots on the front line which set me up and I just need

to tidy up to the bit in some areas. He certainly looks at home on the

course and did so when you picked his first professional win seven

years ago. The European Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke, got off to a

flying start in the desert and reached six under par but dropped

five shots late in his rounds. And the ever steady Graeme McDowell is

well placed after 300 parts at 69. While recuperating from a lengthy

injury hurling star Shane McNaughton A year on, he's set to appear

in a Lyric theatre production and has landed a part in the next

series of the BBC hit drama Before that, there's an All Ireland

semifinal to be played The loneliness of the long-distance

hurler. At 28, ravaged by injury and close to quitting the game he loved,

he sat down and up to treading the boards. I was out about a year and a

half, took a few classes did a few players in Belfast and recently just

got a small part in the film macro. It was a good experience and well

welcomed at the time. His contract prevents it from discussing Gillian

Anderson, but his team-mates are having fun. He's the next best thing

come up in Hollywood, so he's got a busy training and acting. I hope he

does well in Hollywood, all the best to him. In the clubhouse, he's just

another hurler. In the runway, these men are all stars, all dining at the

game's top table. For these squad, sporting immortality beckons. It is

the stuff of Hollywood. Ulster Rugby have confirmed that

centre Sammy Arnold has agreed to join Munster on a two-year

deal from this summer. Good evening. It has been a grey and

drop Dave, the drizzle and never terribly far away. We hold onto the

blanket of cloud tonight. The temperatures stay reasonably mild

overnight, but the breeze picks up around midnight head of this cold

front moving in which brings rain to all parts. That really sets the tone

for Friday's weather. Just about everybody will be waking up to some

rain tomorrow morning. It will clear late on, but if we're honest, this

front gets a bit stalled. Across the eastern half of Northern Ireland,

that could take a good while. Rain will continue on into the afternoon

tomorrow. Behind it, we get a bit of drier, brighter weather. It doesn't

help the temperatures much, because they are into cooler air. Because we

have those clearing skies towards dusk, it means that through the

first part of tomorrow night, temperatures will drop away quite

markedly. The chance of seeing a bit of ice forming by dawn on Saturday

morning, although we have this rain working its way in, so temperatures

will recover a little through the second half of the night. Saturday

is a bit of a damp squib. It will be grey and wet and a bit windy, too.

Not the most attractive way to start the weekend, this blanket is of rain

is sitting over us as we go through the day. Temperatures on the cool

side, highs of 7-8d. Not terribly nice. We've got plenty of weather

heading in our direction over the next few days, bit of a procession

of Atlantic low-pressure system is heading in our direction. But there

is a bit of a break towards Sunday and we have a gap between the fronts

and that means we should see something a bit brighter. So while

the rain continues through Saturday, Sunday at least promises to be dry

and brighter and I'm afraid it will no warmer.

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