22/09/2016 BBC Newsline

Anglia early on Sunday but then we are left with a

Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline.

Relatives of over thirty people killed in the Troubles

threaten court action to force the holding of inquests.

I come from unionist background. Answers we are not getting.

Still no air emergency service amid delays in getting

a helipad at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

A patient is killed as an ambulance bursts

into flames at a County Kildare hospital.

The dangers of button batteries, a new campaign to stop this happening.

Young children swallowing them. Also... Controversy as a former

police officer suggests decriminalising cannabis.

Brands hatch, Silverstone and beyond - we spend a day

with the Newtonards school boy who is the rising star

I'll have details and the full forecast just before 7pm.

The government and Stormont Executive have been told they've 14

days to agree to fund inquests into some of the most controversial

killings of the Troubles or face court action.

The warning comes two weeks after Northern Ireland's most senior

judge called for urgent action on the issue and said there's

a legal obligation to ensure the inquests are heard.

Our Home Affairs Correspondent Vincent Kearney reports.

They came from different backgrounds.

Relatives of more than 30 people people killed during the Troubles

still waiting for inquests to be held to establish what happened.

They joined in protest at Stormont today -

Demanding that the government releases the funding needed

for inquests into the killings of their loved ones.

They included Nichola Baxter, seen with her cousin Craig McCausland,

a 20-year-old Protestant father of two shot dead by

I come from a unionist background, we have been waiting 11 years for

the death certificate, simple things we are entitled to. Answers, we are

not getting. Alongside her... Rita Bonner's brother, John Laverty,

was one of 11 people shot dead by soldiers in what has become known

as the Ballymurphy massacre in 1971. I think no one has said she would

meet us. She needs to be doing more to release the funds for everybody,

not just our inquest, everyone's inquest.

Earlier this year Northern Ireland's most senior judge asked

the Stormont Executive to back a request for ten million pounds

funding for a five year plan to hear all legacy inquests.

The Lord Chief Justice wanted the money released before an overall

agreement is reached on how to deal with the past.

But the request was blocked by First minister Arlene Foster.

This month Sir Declan Morgan said he was hugely disappointed -

and made it clear that dealing with the inquests is

The pressing need to make progress has been recognised by the

committee, which in its last report in June said it was critical of the

United Kingdom authorities take all necessary measures to ensure the

legacy system is properly resourced and staffed to enable effective

investigations to be included. Earlier this month, speaking

to the BBC at a meeting of the British Irish

association in Oxford, the Secretary of State insisted it's

the responsibility of Stormont It is for the executive to consider

those issues and to make a proposal to seek funding from the UK

government. They are considering these factors carefully.

A lawyer representing the families who took part in today's protest

accused the government of breaching international law.

Clearly they are in breach of the Human Rights Act. I ask the

Secretary Of State to read the Council of Europe report which said

it was his responsibility and the obligation of the UK government and

to read the statement of the Lord Chief Justice which outlines the UK

government obligations. He then handed a letter

to an official representing the Secretary of State warning that

legal action will be launched if funding for the inquests isn't

released within 14 days. The Stormont Executive

and department of justice An Air Ambulance service

for Northern Ireland which was announced to some fanfare

in the Spring may not now be fully Several major issues including

staffing are yet to be sorted out. It's emerged that building a helipad

at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast could take up to nine

months, and the work is yet When it comes to major

trauma, time matters. Air ambulances improve patient

prospects in all of the UK regions, but Northern Ireland

doesn't have one. At the Northwest 200,

Ryan Farquhar had to be transferred A major announcement by the former

health minister promised a dedicated air ambulance would be operational

by the end of this year. That is beginning to look unlikely. The BBC

understands issues on progress includes staffing hangar facilities

and issues with the new critical care building at the Royal Victoria.

This building opened last year costing over ?150 million. A helipad

was built on the roof but it turns out it is not suitable for air

ambulance use. And make it fit for purpose could cost up to ?800,000

and take nine months. Before the election we had an announcement

about a tribute to John Heinz. If we have a real tribute it has to be

something, a properly functioning service for the benefit of all the

people. Cogs can turn slowly

and that is frustrating. I am trying to apply pressure

to ensure this facility is in Northern Ireland

as soon as possible to help In a statement, the Department of

Health said... When it arrives, the air ambulance

will speed up the journey to critical care.

but for now the concern is the speed of progress in getting a service

A male patient who was in an ambulance when a fire broke out

at Naas General Hospital this afternoon has died.

Let's speak to our Dublin correspondent, Shane Harrison.

What happened? What we know is the male patient believed to be elderly

was in an ambulance at TPM close to the entrance to the Accident and

Emergency department at the hospital when there was an explosion and he

died as a result. There were tee-macro ambulance men on board,

one suffered superficial injuries and the other more severe burns. His

condition is not regarded as serious. What caused the blast we do

not know but there is speculation stored oxygen may have been a

contributory factor. The health service executive and the police are

carrying out investigations. The Accident and Emergency Department at

the hospital was closed and visitors this evening are being asked to

refrain from going to see patients. We also know people who may have a

intended to go to the hospital are asked to go to the GP first or two

A departments in nearby hospitals. In terms of political reaction, Sinn

Fein say they were aware of trade Unions saying they had concerns

about the vehicles but the health service executive say the vehicle

was involved was a very modern one. We await a statement from the health

minister. Two women, including

one from Londonderry, have been killed in a car

crash in Donegal. It happened yesterday

afternoon outside the town of Ballybofey,

on the Glenfin Road. The victims were 38-year-old mother

of three Maria Wallis, originally from Derry,

and 19-year-old Kiara Baird It's believed the car

they were travelling in lost control A man is stable after being injured

in an industrial accident in County Tyrone. The ambulance service

received a report a report a man was trapped under a machine this

morning. The Health and Safety Executive has launched an

investigation into the incident. Coming up... Another increase in

civil service sickness levels, the highest since 2008.

They are lithium button batteries and they are in household items.

TVs, weighing scales, bathroom weighing scales, they are common and

they are in lots of things, children's toys, they look quite

innocuous, they could choke a child which is a potential risk. What

happens to the battery in the body? If swallowed or put up the nose, or

into the ear, they cause a chemical reaction and caustic soda is

released. Everybody knows what caustic soda does, it cleans trains

so imagine what it does to the gullet. A little girl called Ava,

her button battery was in her gullet for three weeks, she came in with

life-threatening and breathing difficulties, it eroded her and she

had a narrow windpipe to breathe through. The surgeons removed it and

anaesthetic, it was waged in the oesophagus and it took huge effort

to remove it. Some children are not so fortunate, other children in the

hospital we refer to Great Ormond Street and the battery has

completely dissolved their gullet and they will have a life changing

injuries. Some children die because they have swallowed button

batteries. The button batteries to their main Brussels and the bleeds

to death. I can see how passionate you feel about this. What would you

say to parents watching? I would say to any parent or carer or

childminder, particularly toddlers because they learn and explore the

world through their mouth is, if you have remote controls, kitchen

scales, weighing scales and bathrooms, anything with a button

battery, take it away, put it up high and keep it away from children.

An important warning. Civil service staff off for an average 12 days

each last year. The highest level since 2008 and compares to a target

level of eight points five days per worker. John Campbell has been

looking at the figures and it suggests efforts to tackle it

falling short. The long-term trend for sickness has been coming down,

in 2015 days per worker, last year it was below 11 days per worker but

this year it has gone back up to 12 days per worker. It is higher than

across the general economy where it is only six or seven days per

worker. The average figure disguises what is going on underneath.

This does not mean every worker was off sick for 12 days. If we look at

the graphic, we can see half of the staff were off for no days. At the

other end of the scale, more than 10% of staff were offered 20 or more

days of sick and the significant thing is among those who are off on

long-term sick leave because Tim % staff account for 75% of all sick

leave. When we drill further in the figures, in the prison service they

have a big problem with long-term sick leave pushing the average up

significantly. There are big variations across staff and

departments. What are the main reasons people

give? Overwhelmingly mental illness. One

in three sick days are accounted for anxiety, depression, or other mental

health conditions. That has been part of a pattern for some time. It

is a big issue for how the civil service tackles that.

Any reaction for the figures? Finance minister said their

disappointing and the need to redouble efforts to refocus because

it is something they have been tackling for many years. The main

public service unions say the big issue is the change is happening in

the civil service, amalgamation of departments, voluntary exit, and big

changes to the welfare system. They say it is no surprise there is

rising levels of stress and that may be behind the upturn in the numbers.

Still to come... Protesters arrested at County Antrim oil drill had the

charges them dropped. There's been widespread reaction

to comments by a former PSNI acting deputy chief constable

about decriminalising Speaking on Radio Ulster's Talkback

programme yesterday, Mr. McQuillan said the time had come

to consider the move. It's one of the most common drugs

used in Northern Ireland. And as far as some

experts are concerned, Studies have shown that

cannabis is associated with mental illness,

particularly things Now, although there's no absolute

proof, because studies are hard to do in this area,

it has been shown there One has to remember that cannabis

can lead to use of other drugs and what we see then is things can

then quickly spiral out of control. Decriminalisation

isn't legalisation. Instead, it would mean anyone found

in possession of a small amount of cannabis would no longer end up

with a criminal record Some are concerned that could create

the impression that the drug There's increasing evidence

of the effect that cannabis has on the brain, particularly

in the brain of young men and there's quite good evidence that

that causes a significant change which leads to anti-social

behaviour certainly, but also to depression

and other psychiatric conditions. And therefore, the more

available cannabis becomes, which is what decriminalisation

would create, then the more likely we are that we're going to increase

the problem rather than reduce it. The decriminalisation

and legalisation of cannabis have been debated over the years,

but while the debate stays the same, some say

the drug itself has changed. The supply of cannabis coming

on to the market has increasingly been towards versions of cannabis

which have a higher potency and therefore more extreme

effects on the person. It would be important

to have the debate. And I think that regardless

of wherever the decriminalisation or the legalisation argument goes,

is that some people will choose to access drugs which get

the maximum effect and unfortunately those are the drugs which are going

to have the maximum effect in terms of the negative

impact on their lives. A fifth man's being questioned

by police investigating dissident Republican activity in County

Armagh. His arrest comes after

four men were detained by officers yesterday

following searches in Lurgan. Some homes in Woodville Avenue

had to be evacuated The head of Friends of the Earth

here has been told that charges he faced after a protest

at a controversial County Antrim oil James Orr was one of five people

charged after a protest at Woodburn Forest near

Carrickfergus this summer. Our Agriculture and

Environment Correspondent The plant to drill for oil led to a

fraught protest. Police maintained daily presents as campaigners sought

to stop the exploratory well on land leased from Northern Ireland water.

In to five people being charged with offences like trespassers, and

obstruction including James, director of Friends of the Earth in

Northern Ireland. Now he and three others have been told the charges

will not going ahead. We're not surprised at that, we felt these

were charges without any real legal foundation so we're not surprised,

we were surprised to be arrested but not surprised at the decision. That

leaves one person out of five still being taken to court, there is a

single outstanding charge but is confident it will be dropped. The

land has been ploughed up and turned back over to Northern Ireland water,

this looks like a story that is over but it has a long legal tale. Not

only is the first person facing charges, but the council which gave

permissions for the work is being taken to court as well. The case was

meant to be heard this week but has been postponed.

The Sean Dolans clubhouse in Creggan in Londonderry was completely

destroyed in an arson attack in 2011 and many had worries

Dozens of young players had no changing facilities and no home

But that's all set to change after a major investment,

Exciting times again at the club. It was determined to re-establish its

strong commitment to Gaelic games with a special focus on young

players. A major investment of ?800,000, club now has a

state-of-the-art pitch and new changing rooms and clubhouse. The

club was founded 75 years ago and literally had to build from the

ground up after an arson attack in 2011. It was a huge blow to the club

but it is only looking forward. The last five years has been

horrendous since the arson attack, we lost the teams but thankfully we

have people who have stuck with the club and we are rebuilding. We are

working with schools so we hope in five years there will be 11 under

teams fielded in the community. What are the stars of tomorrow think of

the facilities? It is good to have the picture back in the community to

do something because otherwise what will we do? I am enjoying the game.

The girls are better than the boys! After a few difficult years, they

now believe the future looks bright, the club says it is in good hands.

Sport is a blend of bikes and club rugby. Let's start with rugby.

We'll kick off with the Rugby TARA - evening everyone -

Ireland flanker Iain Henderson will make his first start

for Ulster in tomorrow's pro 12 trip to Glasgow -

Jared Payne is named at full back with Charles Piatau

moving to the wing - Rory Best is on the bench -

Ulster off course unbeaten and Henderson keen to keep it that way.

The guys playing did really well. Difficult games to play in to start

the season. I thought did really well. Taking their opportunities and

everyone knows we have left a fair few tries on the pitch. Going

forward, we need to really execute the opportunities because we know

they mean so much at this end of the season. And the game is live on BBC

Two Northern Ireland tomorrow. Aprilia racing has confirmed Eugene

laverty is to ride for the team next season the Toomebrige man

who returns to Superbikes has signed a two year contract

which will see him go head to head with fellow country

man Jonathan Rea. And could this be a Eugene

Laverty in the making - he's fifteen he's from Newtownards

Aaron Wright is one of the hottest All revved up with no shortage of

places to go, this schoolboy has British backing at his fingertips.

He is quite literally out there on his own. Having clinched the title

with the race weekend to spare and having sat out a significant part of

the year because of a broken wrist. When you are injured you realise

what you race motorbikes, I was so bored! I do not think people realise

how lucky they are to have two hands because I was doing it all with one

hand! It was frustrating. When he first completed, he was way off the

pace. I was getting lapped in my first race which we laugh about. It

has been hard work and commitment we have shown in the last year and it

has paid off. We have achieved things this year. It is business as

usual. Marrying sport with a classroom has been delicate and

demanding. With racing in the British championship, we leave

Wednesday night and the racing season continues during exams so we

try to mix them both in. I bring schoolwork with me and we work it

both ways. Next up, the world junior finals at the end of the month in

the Netherlands. And Arron Wright expects to be on the podium.

Golf Rory Mcilroy has just teed off in the final event of the USA tour

championship in Atlanta - he lies fourth overall in the series

with eleven and a half million dollars the prize for the outright

You would scarcely get out of bed for that! Now, the weather forecast.

Summer is over. You love this time of year...

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH SOUND Today is the autumn equinox. Equal

daylight and night. The earth is on an angle. In the summer time we get

the best of the deal because the North Pole is pointed towards the

sun and the days are longer. At this time we are halfway around the

journey round the sun so equal daylight and the court night-time.

As we get into the next three months, the days are getting shorter

and nights longer. We are more susceptible to changes in the air

temperature and that will be the case through the next couple of

days. Tonight, some showers working out, clearing skies and temperatures

down in loosing or figures. Tomorrow, we are on the edge of the

main weather events. The pressure for the fronts will be staying out

of the north and west of us. After a bright start, the day goes downhill.

We are going to sue the breeze picking up and the rain working its

way in from the west. The blue skies will not last as long as today, the

skies will cloud over Andrei moves in through the day. Temperatures,

what we expect for this time of year. Underneath the cloud, a rather

dull though. As we go through Friday evening and into Saturday, that is

when the change starts. The rain in the north and west will work its way

in during the night. Saturday morning, the view is not pretty. Wet

and windy for the start of the weekend. The Raina sitting over us,

pretty much throughout the day and coupled with the strengthening

winds, it will be a pretty unpleasant day. By Sunday, more

sunshine around but cooler air so despite the sunshine getting to

work, temperatures markedly lower. Looking ahead, if you plan to get

things done in the garden, Sunday is the pick of the days for the outside

jobs as the rain will be unpleasant on Saturday. Looking ahead to

tonight, the executive party against the opposition, but a government or

slowing the system down? That is after the late news. The late

summary is at 10:30pm. Keep in touch on Facebook and Twitter. From

everyone on the team, have a very good evening and thank you for

watching.