04/05/2016 BBC Newsline

The Lord Chief Justice says it's a matter of urgency

the new Stormont Executive agrees on a way to deal with the past.

A man accused of the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay

worked with him as a volunteer in the St John Ambulance Service.

On the eve of polling day, we challenge the party leaders

on how they picture success in the Assembly election.

More bad news for schools as the education authority

For any teacher in Northern Ireland, I think the next number of years are

going to be a maddeningly stressful. After his performance against

Leinster is Paddy Jackson now Ireland's number one out half?

And after a windy day with patchy rain,

it's looking more settled again for the next couple of days.

Hello, and welcome to the programme this Wednesday evening.

Northern Ireland's top judge says he's disappointed the Stormont

Executive has not yet made a bid for funding for inquests into

some of the most controversial killings of the Troubles.

Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan responded

after BBC Newsline revealed last night

that his five year plan to hear the inquests

hasn't even been discussed by ministers, and is now on hold.

Our home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney reports.

This is a moment said Declan Morgan left the city of his quarters and

step into the public and political domain. Three months ago the Lord

Chief Justice met relatives of some of those killed in the most

controversial issues of the Troubles stop he told them he had a five-year

plan to deal with all outstanding legacy inquests. Afterwards, he

expressed confidence that the government would give a sympathetic

ear to a request for funding. Della macro I have been given to

understand that if the Northern Ireland executive ask for resources

for legacy request, the request will be given very serious consideration

by the Secretary of State. But that request was never made, and his plan

is now on hold. A proposal to ask the Secretary of State to provide

more than ?10 million of funding, the government has earmarked for the

past, was even discussed in the Stormont Executive because First

Minister Arlene Foster blocked its inclusion on the agenda. She

explained why during the leader's debate last night. I wanted the

opportunity to discuss further with the Lord Chief Justice on the issue

of victims and how we can deal with their issues and I make no apology

for that whatsoever. I think the rights of innocent victims are

buried here and all of this and I will not allow, I will not allow any

process to rewrite the bus what happened in Northern Ireland was a

the Deputy First Minister made it clear that he had a different view.

I gave my ascent to the funding for those cases to be heard under the

plan put forward by the Lord Chief Justice. The leader of the SDLP said

those waiting for the inquest had been let down. They were very happy

that this stuff had begun to change, that the senior Lord Chief Justice

had begun to set about a process of finally addressing the wrong. They

have been put through the mill time and time again. The Minister for

Justice whose department said the proposal asking for funding from the

Secretary of State agreed. Victims who thought when they had

conversations with senior Billy macro -- members of the Executive

things would go forward, have been left on alert once. ... The saddle

trans-burped -- the Savile transcript... Well, you may well be

right but as I said earlier, that was then. This is now. The Lord

Chief Justice today made it clear that he is unhappy about the way the

issue has been handled. In a statement, said Declan Morgan said

he is disappointed the Executive had not yet submitted a bid to the

secretary of State for funding. He also said that after tomorrow's

assembly elections the incoming executive need to agree a way

forward on these cases and all outstanding issues about the past.

As a matter of urgency. The DUP's reluctance to a quest funding for

the Declan Morgan's plan may be expired by the vast majority of the

inquest in both deaths caused by the state. Dealings by police officers

and soldiers and incidents where there are allegations of collusion.

Whatever the reason, the demands for answers aren't going to go away.

After promises of what will happen in the future, after tomorrow's

election, the question of how to deal with the past is likely to be

one of the items at the top of the agenda in the months ahead.

A court's heard that the man accused of murdering the prison officer

Adrian Ismay in March had worked with him

Mr Ismay, a father of three, died from injuries he sustained

after a bomb exploded under his van outside his home in East Belfast.

The man accused of his murder was today granted bail

52-year-old Adrian Ismay was seriously injured in the attack on

the 4th of March. He died 11 days later from a heart attack which was

triggered by a blood clot was up today the court was told there was a

firm link between those injuries and his death. At the time, dissident

republicans claimed responsibility. Accused of his murder is 45-year-old

Christopher Robinson from Aspen Park in Dunmurry put up the court was

told that during the course of an interview the accused told the

police he knew Adrian Ismay. He said they had both worked as volunteers

for the St John Ambulance was that they had what described to the court

as a good working relationship will stop at the Robinson appearing by

filling Billy macro video link from Maghaberry prison sat quietly. He

spoke only to confirm his name and say that he could hear court

proceedings will stop the prosecution outlined its reasons for

refusing bail. It claimed there was a risk of the applicant reoffending

and interfering with witnesses. Anyone seen as target for dissident

republican appear with the said B+ against could be seen as a risk. The

prosecution barrister said there was CCTV footage of the device being

planted at the victim's home. Forensic examination confirmed

traces of high close it material. The defence said that for all sorts

of selfish reasons there is no way visible Robinson would jeopardise a

trial. The barrister said dissident rely on secrecy. The defendant was

set to be the last person he would use. The judge noted the applicant

knew the victim, which he said make it more heinous if found guilty.

Bail was granted. A County Antrim woman says she's

shocked and concerned about her mother who's being lying

on a hospital trolley The woman, who doesn't want to be

named, said her 83-year-old mother is dying of cancer,

and is extremely frail. Last night, we arrived at the

hospital, it was extremely busy, and Mum was left on a trolley, pushed up

against the wall, and there were lots of trolleys pushed up against

the wall and the place was really, really busy. I phoned this morning,

and found that she is still on a trolley 15 hours later. I'm very

concerned as she is a very old lady, she is a palliative patient.

In a statement this afternoon, the Northern Trust said it was sorry

that the patient and her family were disappointed with

the care received in the Emergency Department.

It added that the department had been extremely busy since

last Friday, and that all possible measures were being taken to ensure

Still to come on tonight's BBC Newsline:

A look ahead to polling day, and beyond.

The 108 seats are now empty. So, who is going to fill them when the new

assembly meets here next week? The answer is... You decide.

A young woman from south Armagh accused of running a bomb-making

factory for dissident republicans has been acquitted of all charges.

Her boyfriend was cleared of the majority of the charges.

However, he was convicted of two counts of possessing items

20-year-old Orla O'Hanlon, seen here leading an earlier court hearing was

living with her partner, 21-year-old Keith McConnan, at Tievecrom Road in

Forkhill when it was raided by police in December 20 13. Officers

found a number of items, including an industrial grinder, fertiliser,

and a bag containing an improvised mobile phone unit, power supply and

ammunition. Items prosecutors claimed could be used to make

home-made bombs. Today, at Belfast Crown Court, Orla O'Hanlon was

cleared of all charges. Judge Sandra Crawford said there was insufficient

evidence to suggest the defendant had any knowledge of the contents of

the bag, adding that her fingerprints were not found on it.

Miss O'Hanlon's solicitor said his client had maintained her innocence

since the outset and was glad to put the case behind her. Her partner and

co-accused, Keith McConnan, was cleared of the most serious of the

charges, including the intention to commit acts of terrorism. During the

trial he claims he was being threatened by a prominent dissident

republican guards with links to the Omagh bomb. The judge said there was

no direct evidence to support that claim. Keith McConnan was convicted

of two counts of possessing a mobile phone unit and other items in

suspicious circumstances. He will be sentenced next month. However,

having already spent two and a half years in prison on remand, he will

unlikely face further time behind bars up his legal team are making an

application for bail on Friday. After weeks of campaigning,

the wait is almost over. Tomorrow, voters will go

to the polls to elect 108 MLAs Our political correspondent

Gareth Gordon's been on the trail with the leaders

of the five main parties. For weeks, Arlene Foster has been on

a journey, with one destination in mind. She wants to return to the

First Minister's office and it's been this campaign's enduring

mantra. She has covered thousands of miles and countless billboards, but

has it been a little overdone? No, not at all. In fact, it is my DUP

candidate, I am the leader of the budget, I think that is important

that they are candidates of my party. The more seats we have in

this assembly then the more seeds we have around the Executive table and

that is critically important if we want it meant our vision for

Northern Ireland. There is a danger, if they're not thin and you have

been accused of this, scaremongering? Should you not

really beside Billy macro tried to stay ahead of modular seat question

might the people accusing me of that are our opponents and you would

expect that. From my point of view I have a positive vision for Northern

Ireland, I want to implement it, and in order to do it, I have to get as

many seats for my DUP candidate as I possibly can. She does not want to

see this man become First Minister, and won't walk away if she does. If

Sinn Fein happened to return as largest party, we will all have to

work together, and I don't have any doubt that Arlene will work with me.

I have made my position clear in relation to... Even if you are First

Minister? Absolutely. Ian Paisley Ashley made it clear during his time

as First Minister that if Sinn Fein aged as the second body, they would

work together. And this is the man in Martin McGuinness's sites. Colum

Eastwood goes into his first election as SDLP leader knowing the

vultures are circling for them about six months ago, there was a report

done well publicised that we will lose five or six seats. That will

not happen, we will have a good election, this is an election where

we can build on the future for the fortunes of the SDLP and lots of

good, new candidates will be elegant for arts. There is a piece in the

metamorphosis of the SDLP to suggest growth. I will not put figures on

anything, I have done it before and it does not always work very well.

It is the first time in election for Mike Nesbitt. A big test he says

both will be pass? Passes on 2011 when we got 16 returned. I am

looking at 17 MLAs. Below 16 would be a disaster? 16 would not be

enough, and I'm certainly looking beyond that, for real growth, to

maintain the momentum that we have established over the last two years

at the polls. We find ourselves in unity with the public and that has

given us momentum and we want to maintain that. It could be the last

election for this man. I remember when I first became leader,

journalists like you asked me how badly would we do in the election?

We have a round of good election result this time round, people want

to see us do well, and we will ensure the alliances in the

negotiation for the Executive table. A campaign has been dismissed as a

nonevent. No clear winner emerged from last night public debate on the

BBC was not the real show comes now. Parties are expected to return here

next week, begin negotiations on a programme for government, but before

that they face an even steeper test, in front of the electorate.

The end of the election campaign means attention is now focused

on Polling Day and the counting of the votes.

Well, here in our virtual Stormont chamber is

This is what the past five weeks have been about. All those election

posters, all those leaflets, all aimed at winning these seats at

Stormont. In the last assembly, lots of different parties and some

independence, but they are now gone. The 108 seats are now empty. So who

is going to feel them? The new assembly will meet in next week, and

the answer is, you decide. The polls are open from seven o'clock in the

morning until ten o'clock tomorrow night. As for turnout, last time it

was 55%. This meant that almost half the electorate didn't vote. But the

votes won't actually be counted overnight, counting does not begin

until Friday morning and it could be Saturday afternoon or even Saturday

evening before all these seats are filled. Now, good weather often

leads to a good turnout, and tomorrow is expected to be sunny,

with temperatures of up to 14 degrees. Elections of course are all

about numbers, and at this stage the only number we can safely predict...

Is that one. Well, let's take the election

temperature now, with our political

editor Mark Devenport. Well, it hasn't really been Donald

Trump and Hillary Clinton, it is been rather more lacklustre than

that. Some in Stormont Main say that is no mean achievement because in

the past few months we have had ministerial resignations in Stormont

on the back so the fact that we have had a low-key election shows that we

have returned to track in Stormont. Most of the tensions in the campaign

had been between unionists, between nationalists, this tends to be the

case. The smaller parties say look, this isn't as good as it gets, and

the bigger parties say, give us a fresh chance. We will move forward

rather better than we did last time. I don't expect any seismic changes

in the made up of Stormont, but even small changes could affect who

qualifies to go into the Executive, and who may find themselves in

opposition for the Mark I just remind us, this is not a fast past

the post election will stop is very important, it is proportional

representation, and under our system, known as STV, all you have

two remember is Mark your ballot papers 123 and so on, in order of

preference will stop you can put as many or as few numbers as you like,

but don't go for the eggs, that was last year. Instead go for one to

three, and as we have just seen, over the course of Friday and

Saturday the votes will be laboriously counted, this gets a bit

more confident. But don't have to worry about that as long as they are

nice and clear in the preference in which they put down their choices on

their ballot papers. OK, Mark, thanks very much.

A 61-year-old man has appeared at Londonderry Magistrates' Court

charged in connection with the murder of Paul McCauley.

Mr McCauley was attacked and left in a vegetative state

while at a friend's barbeque in Londonderry in 2006.

He died nine years later in a care facility.

Charles Buckingham, from Nash Court Gardens in Margate, Kent,

is charged with three offences of withholding information.

An Orange Hall in Country Tyrone has been attacked

for the third time in less than three months.

The Orange Order says that as many as 14 windows were smashed

in the hall at Strawletterdallon, near Newtownstewart,

Police say they're treating the incident as a hate crime.

The last time the hall was attacked was in February,

when a number of windows were also smashed.

The Orange Order says the hall is used for a range of community

activities and the local community will be appalled

The Education Authority is facing a ?22 million reduction

In a letter to school principals, the head of the EA warns

it will have to take "difficult decisions"

As our education correspondent Robbie Meredith reports,

school principals are worried about what impact

The education authority provides and pays for transport, meals and other

services or pupils like these at Seaview primary school in Belfast.

But in his letter to principles, it is Chief Executive Gavin Boyd saying

that losing ?22 million will lead to very real pressures for the

authority as demand for services continues to increase. Seaview's

principle says essential services like educational psychology and help

for children not attending school enough are at risk. We have a number

of children who are coming into school with poor English, we have a

number of children coming to school who find it very difficult to cope

in a mainstream situation, but because the support isn't there for

children, we are having to deal with the out workings of that, and for

any teacher in Northern Ireland I think the next number of years are

going to be unimaginably stressful. This is the second part of the

double financial blow for school. Many principals say they will have

two loose teachers because of cuts to their own budgets. In the last

week, some have even written to parents, pointing out the difficulty

their losses are going to cause. Including this principle of a 200

people primary School in County Down. Parents need to be aware

especially with the election on Thursday that there are changing

situations and challenges that we as principals need to take up they need

to be asking their rep sedatives what are they going to do to help

children? The only way we can get a first-class educational system is to

actually funded properly. It will be up to a new assembly and a new

education Minister meet that challenge.

Now sport, and as Ulster prepare for another big game

at the end of the season, high praise for their fly-half.

Paddy Jackson was the toast of his team-mates after his commanding

performance in the weekends comprehensive 30-6 victory over

Leinster, 16 of those points coming from the out half.

One team-mate went so far as to say Jackson should now be considered

Ireland's number one in the position.

I think it is the way he takes control. I think it is his

decision-making, not being in two minds, not making a 50-50 decision,

I think it's the fact that if it gets, it's perfect, and we regain

ground on that. The confidence he plays with, just every game coming

he seems to be getting better, getting better, getting better.

That's exactly what we want in a fly half, that's the taking control,

making good decisions, and making it easier for us forward. If you were

picking the Ireland team at the moment, on form, who would you pick

Jonny Sexton, or Paddy Jackson? Paddy Jackson, definitely was a bit

shout on the weekend when he played, I think he was just phenomenal, over

the weekend, and everything he did. From kicking off to goalkeeping,

general play, if you played really well. His defence, interceptions, is

tried. High praise there. Bethany Firth has qualified

for the final of the women's 100m breaststroke at the IPC

European Swimming championships. Firth, from Seaforde in County Down,

won her heat comfortably and posted the second fastest time overall

to go through to tonight's final in Portugal in just

over an hour's time. It's the first time she has been

in international competition as a Team GB swimmer since switching

from Team Ireland. We will let you know how she gets

on. Lisnagarvey completed the double

in men's hockey, when they added the Champions Trophy to the League

title they already Dublin side Hermes achieved the same

feat with their victory in the women's final at the expense

of Ulster side Pegasus. The goals of Hanno Flannigan have

been a big reason why Hermes have been the big force in Irish hockey

this evening Billy McRae season, so it came as no surprise when she

opened the scoring was up with this finish, she made it to nil, leaving

Pegasus to decline. They tried valiantly to halt this, but were

awarded a goal from Pete Doherty. -- take Doherty. It was Irish

international whose scored the third goal to seal the famous double.

Lisnagarvey were given the lead, but secured, when penalty stroke was

given. The third goal arrived on the stroke of half-time with Matthew

Nelson getting the final touch. There was no further scoring, and

Lisnagarvey were able to celebrate yet another trophy success. Two

trophies in one year, it's a very, very special achievement, but this

has come from a lot of hard work from the end of last season, when

everybody else would have hung up their sticks, we drank an extra six

weeks. And it has really paid up. -- we trained another six weeks. We

have set the standard for other clubs to follow next season. That I

could they have set the standard. The Belfast Giants have been boosted

by the news that captain Adam Keefe has signed a new contract

which will keep him with the side During his five years in Belfast,

Keefe has been a key player in two I love it here and I love the

passion the city has for ice hockey, and just for the city in general. I

love the championships, and I enjoy chasing them, and trying to bring

out here in this season. Every game is important, and it is important to

really strikes that point across, to newcomers to the leak, I think every

night is a play-off game. A very popular move

with the Giants fans that one. Stephen, thank you for that lets get

the weather, now, and Andy is here. Yes, with the exception of Saturday,

it is looking more settled and springlike. At the Giants Causeway

it got up to 15 Celsius despite losing the sunshine. That is because

we have had a weather front off the Atlantic bringing patchy rain and

quite brisk breeze, as we can see here for the choppy waves there. The

wind is still with us through this evening, quite a gusty wind, still

some patchy rain running across the eastern counties, and once that

clears it will turn drier, with clear spells throughout the course

of the night. It remains quite breezy, even quite dusty towards the

north and north-west. Those southerly winds should help to hold

the cabbage is up, maybe just dipping to four or 5 degrees in

rural spots once again. Tomorrow, at least the bright

weather is back with us, I love of dry weather again. Quite a keen

breeze blowing tomorrow morning, still quite dusty towards the north

coast as well. That breeze will gradually eased down as we go

through the course of the day. There will be some fair katakana coming in

on that breeze as well, but hopefully not spoiling things too

much. It will still be bright, still be some sunny spells, and

temperatures should reach 14 or 15 degrees. We go into tomorrow night

on a mainly dry night. The winds continue to drop away, almost

calming places. Some patches towards the east, some list and sea fog

towards the east coast as wealth is Kira towards the wet and here we see

the temperatures in countryside down to two or three degrees, that may

just give us the odd pockets of ground frost. On to Friday, and it

is still a mainly dry day, a bit more of a northerly breeze, a bit of

mist around the coast, a bit more cloud but even then still a lot of

dry and bright weather for the height of 40 in the south, a bit

pressure on the north coast where you have that onshore breeze. A

little bit of a ridge of high pressure on Friday, this system we

will be watching for Saturday as it edges north. The isobars packed in

to bring windy conditions and Sons showers, potentially turning to

heavy downpours and the risk of thunder. Lighter winds on Sunday

temperatures coming up as well. Our late summary

is at half past ten. You can also keep in contact with us

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