19/08/2016 BBC Newsline

travel -- treble treble. That is all from the

This is BBC Newsline and these are the headlines

A formal DUP complaint about Sinn Fein's Daithi McKay,

who advised a key witness how to present his evidence

Ireland's most senior Olympic official is moved to prison

in Brazil following his arrest over alleged illegal sales of tickets

A report on fraud allegations linked to a lucrative green energy scheme

Also on the programme: The farming work that has quite

a following from all around the world.

The boat race that's about to return to the Fermanagh lakes

It's the Olympics closing weekend - we ask if the return of golf

And you will need the raincoat and umbrella at times this weekend,

The DUP has made a formal complaint to the Assembly Standards

Commissioner about the conduct of the former Sinn Fein MLA

Daithi McKay in relation to the Finance Committee's inquiry

into the multi-million pound NAMA property deal.

In a moment we'll speak to our political editor

Mark Devenport about latest developments.

But first our north-east reporter, Sara Girvin, went to north Antrim,

where the two Sinn Fein members at the heart of this

The shutters were down today at Daithi McKay's constituency office.

Yesterday the former finance committee chair and apologised for

what he described as inappropriate and ill-advised private contacts

with loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson. Last year Mr Bryson was a key

witness in a hearing on the NAMA property scandal which Mr Mackay

resided over. Sinn Fein says this man, Thomas O'Hara, has also been

suspended from the party. He sent Mr Bryson messages suggesting

presenting of the evidence. Mr McGuinness wants the matter

investigated. I want to see that complaint expedited swiftly. I do

believe the outcome of that will vindicate everything I've said over

the course of the last 24 hours about the noninvolvement of the Sinn

Fein team at the Assembly. I have that salute the no concerns about

that. Today people seemed bemused about the resignation of their local

MLA. Obviously there's something behind it or he wouldn't have

resigned. We really don't know what's happening or why this has

happened. This is not the first time this has come up. It we won't have a

choice, the party will appoint the next MLA to represent us. It won't

matter to us. Just a lot of silly people doing stupid things. At the

Ballymena Guardian the editor has been reflecting on the loss as

someone once regarded as a rising star of Sinn Fein. People can't get

to grips with why he did this. He was one of the first MLA is to

embrace social media so he will have been aware of its power. I don't

think he would have been oblivious to the fact that if this came out it

would be very, very dangerous for him. Whatever happens with the

investigation, Sinn Fein has two act quickly. They have just seven days

to put another politician in his place to avoid triggering a

by-election. The formal DUP complaint against

Daithi McKay, how will that be handled to? The DUP chairman has

made a complaint which refers to paragraph three of the MLA's code of

conduct and that talks about politicians having to act with

integrity and not to bring the Assembly into disrepute. Douglas

Bain doesn't comment on any complaints while they are active,

but he does say any complaints see receives will be thoroughly

investigated. There is an open period of time he can take as long

as he thinks is necessary to investigate whether any of the

specific rules have been broken. The loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson has

issued a statement. Three main points. He's reiterating that he was

not the Lica of the back channel. He wants to put that on record. He also

says that even though he was obviously from what we've seen in

the transcript working with Daithi McKay and the other Sinn Fein member

that he remains as opposed to Sinn Fein as ever. He also says he's

wanting an enquiry into the whole NAMA affair and is trying to start

action into that. The Ulster Unionist Party has asked for the

finance Minister step aside, why is that? He was a member of the Finance

committee when they were probing these NAMA allegations and these

private messages do referred to the line of questioning he might take.

There's nothing in the text to suggest he knew this kind of back

channel or advice was going on. Nevertheless the Ulster Unionist

Party nut spokesman said it would be best if he stepped aside while this

matter was being investigated. The Assembly is in Summer Rae Sess. When

do you think the MLAs will get a chance to discuss this? In terms of

the finance committee it could happen on Tuesday next week. The

current share has been seeking an early meeting of the finance

committee to discuss the matter. Some MLAs have been sounded out

about whether they can make that on Tuesday. Thank you.

The President of the Irish Olympic Committee, Pat Hickey,

has been transferred to a prison in Brazil, where he faces

allegations linked to the illegal resale of tickets for the Olympics

The Irish Minister for Sport has announced an inquiry

Our reporter, Kevin Sharkey, has the latest.

The man in the wheelchair - Pat Hickey.

He's being taken to a police station.

Arrested at a hotel early on Wednesday morning,

the 71-year-old had spent two days in hospital.

He's now made a statement to police and has been refused bail.

Another Irishman, Kevin Mallon, arrested as part of the police

investigation, and Mr Hickey both deny any wrongdoing.

This isn't the first time that Pat Hickey has been asked questions

Four years ago, he was also asked to provide answers about ticket

The questions came from a famous Brazilian footballer who went

on to become a politician in his homeland.

Romario wanted to know why Pat Hickey and the Executive

Committee of the Olympic Council of Ireland granted the sale

of tickets for the London Games to a company linked

He also highlighted the same son's role in running a pub

that was the official hospitality venue for Team Ireland.

Pat Hickey's response back then was that all decisions about outside

contractors and commercial bodies were examined and discussed

by the full committee and that internationally accepted business

practices were adhered to at all times.

Ireland's Sports Minister, Shane Ross, returned

And this evening, he announced that a retired judge will be

appointed to lead an inquiry into the controversy.

We have agreed to establish a non-statutory enquiry to be carried

out by a judge. We believe it is the most appropriate mechanism to

establish the facts. We intend to appoint a judge next week and the

terms of reference for the enquiry will be finalised shortly

thereafter. Thousands of miles away in Rio,

Pat Hickey is preparing to spend his first night

in a prison cell. There's plenty to come before seven,

including cot racing - it's going to take place once again

on the Fermanagh lakelands thanks Next an update on a BBC Newsline

story about alleged fraud After the Department

for the Economy initially stated that the findings

of an investigation into the allegations

were not to be made public, the minister has said

he will now publish a report. The renewable heat scheme was poorly

run and open to abuse, and has left the local

taxpayer with a huge bill. Here's our agriculture

and environment correspondent, An audit office report identified

big weaknesses in the scheme. There was no cap on the overgenerous

subsidy for firms who switched from oil gas to burning wood chip. A

whistle-blower also claims some businesses which didn't need the

heat had installed boilers just to claim the subsidy. A farmer was

alleged to have been heating an empty shed. The potential profits

over the 20 year term of the scheme said to be ?1 million. The taxpayer

was to be landed with a massive bill for years to come as the authorities

made good on promises to pay the subsidies. It was hard to put up a

size figure on it, said auditors, but it would cost at least ?150

million up to 2021. All this prompted two investigations. The

first was internal at the Department of the economy. The findings of that

aren't going to be published. The other was an external independent

audit commissioned by the Minister to look at those allegations of

fraud and to see if there were any ways of clawing some of the money

back. When he announced that audit in July, Simo Hambleton said it was

about giving the public confidence about how their money was being

spent. -- Simon. Then his department indicated it would also be kept

under wraps, is saying... Just a day later, Simon Hamilton

Road back on that position. I didn't want to get into publishing every

detail of those visits. I want to make public the overall outcome of

the inspections and I will do that in due course. What will you

publish? It's only started this week in terms of the site visits. I want

to see the emerging findings and the conclusions and then I will judge

the best way we can make that public so we can give public confidence

that the scheme is working in the way it should be and that if there

is fraud, we highlight that fraud and deal with it and if there's not

we make it clear and give confidence to the general public. It looks like

the taxpayer will now find out how their money was spent. Unannounced

site inspections started this week. The minister is expected to have the

results of that audit in September. Prosecutors are to consider the case

against former soldiers in relation to Bloody Sunday as detectives have

now finished interviewing them. The deaths of 14 civil rights

demonstrators in Londonderry are being re-investigated

by the police after a public inquiry It's been 44 years since 13 people

were shot dead in the bogside. A 14th victim died later after troops

opened fire on a civil rights march in 1972. This report is part of an

investigation into bloody Sunday by the PSNI. The police say interviews

with former soldiers have concluded and a file has been complied --

compiled. The families have been told and some say this marks another

milestone in the search for justice. We don't want any more delays,

there's been so many hurdles to climb, so many barriers in our way.

Let's go ahead with this. The soldiers are going to court. There's

been frustration over the length of time the investigation has taken,

but this latest development has been described as significant. How did it

take years for them to interview these people? That strikes me as

somewhat mysterious. That doesn't fill me with confidence.

Nevertheless we have reached this stage and let's see how things work

out. The PPS will now look at the final report from the PSNI

investigators and only then will it be decided should charges be brought

against those soldiers who have been questioned.

Still to come on the programme: The Londonderry triathlete hoping

for success in her race in Rio tomorrow.

The High Court's heard that a 17-year-old boy's

finger was almost cut off over a ?700 drug debt.

Details emerged as the boy, who can't be named for legal

reasons, mounted a bid to be released on bail.

He faces a number of charges connected to an incident

at a County Down children's home in July.

The judge ruled that he would be safer staying in custody.

Six people have been arrested in a false imprisonment

The arrests were made after officers carried out a planned search

of a house at Castletown in Navan yesterday evening.

Three men, two women and a teenage girl are being questioned at police

Staff at a community centre in Londonderry say it'll cost

thousands to repair the damage from a petrol bomb attack

The attack on Dove House in the Bogside was reported

It's the latest in a series of attacks on the building

It comes as hundreds of people, including the Deputy First Minister,

Martin McGuinness, gathered outside the centre this afternoon.

Next, a novel farm diversification idea that is reaping the benefits

of an apparent world-wide fascination with tractors.

Tractor drivers from Ballymena film themselves cutting grass and sell

the DVDs not just at home but in surprising

It's grass cutting time for farmers across Northern Ireland. But this

start-up has a fresh take on a traditional job. With the help of a

film crew to capture these tractors in action, they've become stars of

the small screen. Some DVDs have been made about farming locally and

we thought we could do that. The sun is shining, you have tractors,

diesel, noise, the grass and it's in the blood. Millions of views of

videos just like this one, a TV channel and clothing range later and

they are exporting worldwide and employ three staff. Probably the

harvesting. It's the bigger operation. I've spent days watching

them all. For some people tractors are synonymous with hold-ups and

traffic jams on the road, but for others there were form of

entertainment. But what is it about watching a tractor cutting grass

that has people tuning in? Outside of the UK and Ireland, obviously,

our largest market for product is Norway. I put my hands up and say I

have that salute you no idea. These agricultural movies are not just

moved -- man thing, the women are also on board. Once the cab door is

closed, it doesn't matter who's time the wheel. Your world is locked up.

You're at your own pace. You're concentrating, but you in your own

world and everybody looks after one another.

Traditional wooden boats called cots were once the main mode of transport

As well as carrying people, livestock and goods

across the water, they were also used for fun.

Tomorrow, the first cot race in more than a century is taking

place at the Crom Estate near Newtownbutler,

Our south west reporter has been following the boat building project

How to turn planks of wood into a boat.

For the last three months, the Men's Shed in Cavan Town

Flat-bottomed boats that have been used on the Erne for

Through building the cot, we're learning age-old traditions that are

hundreds of years old. A block of wood, understanding how boats are

built, specifically how cot boats are built. We're learning new

skills, but they are old, but new to us.

Cots were extremely stable and could carry cattle

I'm told they were also used on more than one occasion to smuggle

With the new cots safely afloat, they were officially

Growing up here and living here, we've known nothing else. My sisters

got married from it. We took my late father over for his funeral in it in

December. It means a lot and it's lovely to see it being reinvented.

Crom was once a venue for regattas and there are plans to reintroduce

With the two cots we've built, we'll be able to demonstrate cot rowing,

or pooling, as it's known. How they can be brought ashore and goods put

onto them and how they can also been used for racing. The cops were raced

and there were regular cot regattas for racing.

The first race in more than a century will take

place at Crom tomorrow - afterwards the Cavan Men's Shed

will have to think of something else to do.

You spend all this time and a huge amount of energy into building the

boat. That's where the fun is, the slagging and the rest. When the boat

goes on the water, it's brilliant, but it's finished. Where to next?

Another cot. Possibly. 4-2! -- or two.

And there can be few things more relaxing than rowing

It's hoped these two new boats will inspire more people

to build their own cots and maybe cot racing will once again become

The Rio Games have reached the closing weekend,

but some of our Olympians are still in action,

Yes, the women's golf competition will conclude tomorrow afternoon.

Team Ireland's Leona Maguire has been battling today in the third

Stefanie Meadow has been playing as well. It hasn't gone quite fair way.

Leona is eight shots off a bronze with Stephanie two shots further

back despite nice golf today. Rio has seen the return of golf

to the Olympic programme for the first time in over a century

and despite doubts from some, the Ireland captain Paul McGinley

says it's been a positive move Everybody who's been lucky enough to

be here has walked away a more humble personal and a more humble

athlete to be amongst great athletes and witnessed such great sporting

events and occasions and have unrestricted access like we've had.

To reintroduce golf back has been an unqualified success with sell-out

crowds. Alongside athletics, the largest crowds. It says a about golf

lot and how much it's been accepted. From a coaching or leadership

standpoint, I've learned so much from so many different cultures and

being around and asking questions and being

privileged to be in the background. Would you be confident the next time

that all the world's top players will brace it and be part of it? I

hope so. I can't speak for them, they have their own minds and make

their own decisions. I think they would have learned a lot from being

here and it would have been great for their careers to be here. To see

how great golf is and how much we've been accepted. Sometimes we're stuck

in our own zone, but when you come out of that and share experiences

with other athletes and observe their focus and how they get

themselves in the zone, is tremendous. Good for the heart. He's

certainly been enjoying it. Aileen Reid has had a long wait

to participate in this Games. The Londonderry woman goes

for Team Ireland tomorrow Four years ago in London,

she had a bad bike crash in the event, which ended her hopes

of competing for a medal. But she's back now for another

attempt at Olympic glory, She takes it away. On form, Eileen

Reid is a medal contender in the women's triathlon, but with her

build-up in to ruck to by injury, can she have a performance when it

matters? I know what I'm capable of and that's the top ten and on a good

day even better. I'd really like to show what I'm capable of. I'm an

Olympian having been to London, but I didn't feel like I was an Olympian

until I crossed the line. 43rd what and what I hoped to achieve and I'm

hoping I can do myself justice this time and finish somewhere in the top

ten. In London high hopes of a medal were ended by a nasty bike crash,

but she still got up and finished the race. I don't think giving up is

something a competitor at any level should do. I'm in it to cross the

line and do the best I can and if I crashed I will get back up as long

as I'm capable. It gives me motivation to get out there and do

my best again. Whatever happens on the day, I'm still going to put in

100% and see where it gets me. Four years after her disappointment in

London she is now raring to go in Rio tomorrow.

Final Score tomorrow will have all the action in the Danskebank

The champions Crusaders, unbeaten in their opening three

games of the campaign, are away to Coleraine, still looking

The big games are the league champions and they are the ones you

want. We have a lot of work to do this week both in attitude and on

the pitch. We'll kick on and hopefully they are prepared for

that. He's been in the league for some time and he's very astute and

knows his team inside out, he knows how to play. I always expect a tough

game at Coleraine. You just have to keep your own boys firing and hungry

and determined to do well. I've said a lot this year we have to cope with

looking after ourselves as opposed to our opponents.

Finally, the dates for Ulster Rugby's European Champions Cup

Their pool matches begin with an away trip to

Full details are on the BBC Sport NI website.

That's it from a very sunny Rio. It doesn't bring our Olympic coverage

to a close. We'll keep you up-to-date with how our local

athletes get on over the weekend. From me, goodbye. I'll see you back

in Belfast very soon. Did he say sunny in Rio? Rubbing it

in. Cecilia has a lot to tell us, but I'm not sure I want to hear the

forecast. Will it be beach weather? They

aren't in their swimsuits! Not a great day today. Not much grass

cutting done today. It is dry in a lot of places at the moment, but

we're expecting more showers through the evening and overnight. There's a

swirl of cloud to the west of Ireland. That's the centre of a low

pressure area which will dominate for at least half the weekend as it

drifts across asked during the course of tomorrow. That will mean

the risk of heavy downpours, possibly some short lived flooding.

But a better day on Sunday and there are hints of warmer weather for the

beginning of next week. Mild and breezy tonight, but there will be

showers which are most frequent in the West and south. If you have dry

weather to begin with tomorrow, don't rely on it because it won't be

long before the showers come along and they will be widespread. The

breeze will drop so if you get a shower it could be with you for some

time. Some heavy downpours and possibly thunder and lightning. The

showers quite prolonged at times around lunchtime, especially in the

eastern areas. Later in the afternoon it will start to dry up a

bit from the west and north-west. Probably peak showers mid-morning to

mid-afternoon and as the breeze moves in, we'll start to move the

showers away. Cooler in the breeze but at least it means drier and

brighter weather tomorrow evening for those heading to seem madness.

It will dry up generally tomorrow night. A bit of a breeze. Not a cold

night, temperatures in the teams. On Sunday, a much better day. The

better day of the weekend without doubt. Most places will be dry with

just the odd shower. Breezy towards the north coast, but a better day in

the Mormons. With truck Fest, it looks like it

should be dry and warm for next week.

I don't believe it! We have an update later tonight and throughout

the weekend. Have a great weekend.