Episode 1 In Your Corner

How low I am Wendy Austin and welcome to a new series of the

programme that examines the issues that are reported to you. This

evening we are in Limavady, so we are back, we are alive and we are

In Your Corner. -- we are live for. It is great to be back with you on

In Your Corner. Each week we will be coming live from venues across

Northern Ireland, getting right to the heart of issues that affect you

and your community. We are starting in the north-west and we are live

in a row Valley Arts Centre in Limavady. I have galloped up here,

but our team have been here all day. They have been finding out more

about this lovely centre which hosts a wide range of events. It is

impressive. Better still, it is right in the heart of the town.

is great to be back another the next six weeks we will be in some

other great buildings in towns like Portadown, Cookstown and

Enniskillen, highlighting problems and resolving disputes. What is the

story in In Your Corner? Get in touch this evening. Eimear last, up

follow us on Facebook or you can tweak us. Coming up on tonight's

programme. Chris Moore asked coupes for clearing up the toxic mess

created by criminals behind fuel laundering. We have been on the

streets of Limavady to get reaction to a council initiative that he

aimed at drawing tourists to the area. So all that to come. Get in

touch. We are live and listening. Claire has the top story. Thank you.

The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick children is the only specialist

children's hospital in the UK that does not have its own MRI scanner.

Local charities and the public have been raising funds to buy one, but

so far the Belfast Health Trust has failed to state publicly that it

will take ownership of the scanner or pay for the staff needed to run

it. I met with one family who have been directly affected by the fact

that the hospital does not have this key piece of equipment. Any

parent who has gone through the trauma of having to rush a sick

child to hospital never forget the experience. Thankfully, a with my

children it has been bumps and scrapes. Just imagine rushing

you're unconscious baby to hospital on Christmas morning. That is what

happened to this woman and her 14 month-old daughter. She has been

here in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick children ever since.

life hung in a balance for nearly 36 hours. The we did not think she

would make it through. She fought on and the doctors worked

tirelessly and the nurses as well, trying to stabilise her and

eventually, the day after Boxing Day, she was out of the life-

threatening situation. From then on, we had to do different

investigations and tests to find out what happened. It's is your

worst nightmare. You look at her been healthy the day before and

then she was lying on the verge of life or death. They have been

fantastic here. Doctors do still -- doctor still don't know why she

collapsed and they wanted to have an MRI scan to see if she suffered

brain damage. This is the only specialist children's hospital in

the UK but does not have a dedicated MRI scanner for its

patients. Four Bolivia, this means been transferred from intensive

care to the adult scanner. Because of her condition, moving her is

fraught with danger, but the doctors have no choice. The fact

that we do not have an MRI scanner and we are the only hospital in the

UK not have this, speaks volumes. It is an integral part of daily

life in all other children's hospitals, but children in Northern

Ireland are not able to benefit from this type of scanner. Without

a dedicated MRI scanner, the Children's Hospital simply has to

put the sickest patients first. This tide had two scans Castle Cup,

which has added to her mother's worries. How is she doing? And not

too bad. Her seizures seem to have settled down. It is emotional.

Seeing her having to go away to another part of the hospital and we

cannot go with there. He had been waiting for this? The word two

cancelled last week and we have been waiting for nearly a fortnight.

This gang is to see if there is any improvement or any deterioration.

We will hope and pray that she will show some improvement. It is a long

time to wait. I know you want to be weather, so we will catch up with

you later. It takes several Ambulance and Nursing Staff to

transferred the child to the adult hospital and her mother isn't

allowed to travel with her. As a neurologist, an MRI scan is

essential for us in making a diagnosis of any condition, such as

brain tumours, strokes, infection, developmental problems and epilepsy.

If there are delays in getting a scan, then obviously there will be

a delay in making a diagnosis and that will have a knock-on effect on

treatment and therefore management of the conditions. It really is an

essential cornerstone for how we manage patients. The baby has

arrived in the adult hospital and is having her stand. Two years ago,

four local charities came together to start an appeal to raise �2

million needed to buy a scanner, just like this one, for the

Children's Hospital. Now members of the public have raised �1 million

for this appeal and it is important to the public, because they

understand that this is a piece of machinery that will benefit all

sick children in Northern Ireland. There is a problem. The charities

are raising money across the province. However, the Belfast

Health Trust has so far refused to state publicly that it will provide

the staffing and resources that the children's scanner will need. You

have said that the trust are aware of the money they you are Rainey

and -- aiming to raise. Have they rubber-stamp the fact that they

will staff and provide the site for at? Not yet, but we're confident

that welcome in the future. fact that it is Northern Ireland's

only Children's Hospital hot the -- Hospital makes it even more

important. Our children are as important to us and they are

valuable to us are as any other child. The main thing is that if we

can get these tests done quicker, then making get the treatment

started. It would be far better. it is very rare that a single piece

of equipment and the running of that service would make such a

dramatic difference to the wake in which... And the speed of which, we

could diagnose conditions. We could then treat and manage them. After

having her scan, the child is back in intensive care and to parents

face an anxious wait on the results. Meanwhile, the charities raising

money for the scanner are also anxiously waiting on the Belfast

Trust to come out and back their campaign. Just to update you on a

the child's condition. She has been moved out of the intensive care

unit and is putting on weight and making steady and slow progress,

but it is a long road ahead for her and her family. We wish them all

the best. Wendy. We certainly do. With me now is Dr Richard Wright

from the Belfast Hospital for Sick children and Ivan Marton from the

charity helping hand. Dr Wright, no one could argue that this is a

crucial piece of equipment. Is there the commitment that is

required from the trust, if the charities raise the money, to put

it into action? I think it is fantastic that the family have come

out and being prepared to highlight this issue, which is dear to me and

dear to the trust and it takes real courage to do that and that is

fantastic. We are fully committed to the project as a practising

radiologist, this is close to my heart and a project that we really

want to see as soon as possible. One of the problems is that in

Northern Ireland, we require the full backing of our commissioners

and the Department of Health to go ahead with this, so we prepared a

full business case and that is now with the department and with the

health board for their consideration. I am quietly

confident that we will get a green light on this in a knot too distant

future. I can Marton, is that we Duke and the other charities want

to hear. Obviously. This is a no- brainer. It has been said several

times already. But the children's Hospital, the only regional

hospital without a dedicated scanner for children, this just

isn't good enough. We set about raising the money. We hope to be in

a position in a couple of weeks' time to make an announcement

officially that we have passed the one Indian pounds mark. We are

aiming for �2 million and we want to keep going until we get that. We

keep hearing from the Coalition government at Westminster that we

are all part of the "big society" and the people in Northern Ireland

are being part of that and they are playing their part, they are

joining in and raising this money. At that point, at the Department

and the trust need to join in, join up to the "big society" and we get

our scanner. On what basis we raising the money? Did you think

you have a commitment from the trust before you started to raise

it? What sort of negotiations have taken place? We have had several

discussions. There has never been a firm commitment. He went ahead and

raise the money? I figured if we raised �2 million for a scanner it

would be pretty hard for anyone to make a case for setting it in a

room and not using it. We have actually built in some money to

this appeal, to insure that as soon as the scanner is purchased and

installed, there are funds they have to start it off. That. There

is no point in this money been raised and it not been able to be

staffed, because you have a gun put to your head and left with no

alternative. We have been behind this project from the early days. I

should make one point. It is slightly mischievous to say there

is no service at the children's hospital. There is a quality MRA

service, the problem is it isn't located in the building. It is

within a few hundred yards. That isn't where we want to be. It is

important for parents to know that if the need a scan and need one

urgently, it can be provided. What is important about the money that

has been raised... It isn't just about the equipment, the staff have

to be there to run out, the building has to be there. It is

very frustrating for us and parents that we cannot do it immediately.

It takes a bit of time. On what stage was this business case put

together? Was a dinner last few days? It has been worked on for the

last six months. It is detailed. There have been experiences and

problems in the past were money has been raised... It has gone and the

last few days. That is the normal process. There is nothing unusual

about that. I am delighted. We are after the same objective here. We

are grateful for the charities. Thank you. It is enormously

important to parents all over Northern Ireland and we have

brought some resolution to what has been at a confusing picture for

everyone. We will continue to follow the story and keep you up-

to-date with any developments, so keep in touch with us and let us

know what you think. Maybe it has affected you? It is great to be in

Limavady in the centre, but our reporter has been out and about as

well, hearing what is the top of the town. -- top of the town.

there is a new way to enjoy and learn about Limavady. A new app has

been designed for smart phones to try and attract tourists. The app

has many features, including an ordeal trail that take you on a

walking tour of the town. Here on Main Street, we are here to ask

locals what attractions they would Well there's lakes with trout and

salmon. The beach. Would you go on your day off? I'd go for a walk on

the beach. Hello. Today there's been a new app released for your

smartphone to get tour toists come here and see what's on offer.

idea. Certainly is - what's an app and an iPhone? I would say it would

be very nice. Do you think it's a nice place for people to visit.

Beautiful, lovely and scenic. like the Town Hall at the moment.

You want to know what I think about tourists in Limavady? I do. We are

completely useless at advertising what we have got. It's the best

place in Northern Ireland, bar none. There's not very much here now with

the downturn, it seems to have lost a lot of shops and businesses,

which are greatly missed. There's not that much to do. But it's a

happy, wee town, that's the best thing you can want. I enjoy

Limavady. People are very friendly. Hi Ronnie. Exactly! Certainly is a

friendly place indeed. We've been made to feel very welcome today.

Don't forget this programme is all about the issues which are

important to you, issues that affect you and your community.

You've been getting in touch with us. Great to hear from you. We've a

message from Brendan on Facebook. He would love to see a piece on

poor housing conditions students have to endure whilst paying high

rent. Mark says, why don't you cover the price of insurance in

Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK. Thanks for your

comments. Keep them coming on e- mail or join the discussion online.

Now this is the newest member of the team, Chris Moore and you know

the way the new guy gets the dirty jobs? No difference here. Chris

you've been digging in the dirt left behind by fuel smugglers.

in counties down and Armagh criminal gangs are making millions

from removing millions from removing red dye from farm

machineries and selling it on. But it's creating an environmental

hazards. It's local councils with responsibility for the environment

having to Dick deep into the rate payers' coughers to clean up after

This dominates the South Armagh skyline and is a major tourist

attraction along the Armagh border. There's something unpleasant in the

air, hidden behind hedges, it's this stuff, the sludge-like waste

that's evidence of a criminal enterprise worth millions of pounds.

Fuller's earth or even cat litter is used to filter and remove red

dye from low tax agricultural diesel so it can be sold on as high

tax commercial fuel. The by-product is tons of toxic waste that

criminals dump anywhere they won't be seen. Patrick. Hello Chris.

Pleased to meet you. Thank you very much for taking the time to meet us

here. Beautiful setting. Yes. going to see a site now. Shall we

get in your motor and head up that Patrick is the local council's

Environmental Health officer. His job is to track down and clean up

laundered waste. When we received the report from a local member of

the public, what we do is confirm the type of dumping here, just

confirm it's laundered fuel waste then we hand the case over to the

Environment Agency, whose responsibility it is. Some of the

containers are leaking. Obviously, some of those containers would

contain diesel fuel and sulphuric acid used for laundering the fuel.

This stuff leaks out of them, some of these cubes burst open. Yeah,

unfortunately, I suppose in the haste to get them dumped some of

the tip out. Again, you can see there's a leak of that. There's a

danger of getting into water courses. This is my small holding

here where I keep the livestock and keep them fed. Farmers are afraid

that toxic lakes from diesel laundering will pollute water

supplies to livestock. Farmer Terry Hearty is also a local councillor.

The fears I have is a lot of dumping takes place on the high

ground. With all the rains down on this farm here heading into the

river. It's the time of the year when livestock are out and drinking

out of drains like I have here, them cattle could be poisoned. That

would be a serious, like small farms like we have here, to lose

livestock or sickness and livestock and that would be a serious blow to

us. Are you fearful of actually putting your cattle into this field

here beside us? I am at the minute. If I put me cattle out here in

March and the dumping continues on the high ground beside me, I'll

have to fence that off and put a water supply into the cattle. I

couldn't use it. Illegal fuel is sold across the country, but it's

here along the Down Armagh border that the waste is dumped. For the

criminal gangs, it's big business. As a rule of thumb, each of these

cubes represents 100,000 litres of laundered red diesel. That brings

the launderers a clear profit of �50,000. With 100 cubes on this

site alone, that leaves the criminals picking up a cool �5

We've had occasions where these have been abandoned along the

roadside. They can contain up to 25, 30, 35 of these IBC containers.

Diesel laundering waste was first dumped on this site as many as nine

months ago. The council could have cleaned up this site on the very

first day that waste was dumped here. But they didn't. Instead they

decided to wait for the Environment Agency to track down and legally

enforce the land owner to pay for the clean up of this site. While

going to pay for it, the fact is that the local, the community is

suffering over there. The community right across is suffering because

of the dangers that site brings to that entire area.

And cleaning up the diesel mess has proven to be costly for the local

rate payers. Last year, it cost Armagh Council �50,000 and another

council �84,000. If you were faced with clearing up that site we've

been on, on private land, what do you reckon the cost would be to the

council? Around �30,000 to �35,000 just for that one site. It's a lot

of money. Interestingly, there have been developments since Chris's

report was filmed. We've been working on this story for a while

now. Last week the council took the decision to begin clearing up the

site featured in the report. So while there seems to be some

resolution in this particular case, the wider issue about who is

financially responsible for cleaning up the mess in general is

still unresolved. Let's talk about this with Kevin Skullion and Dave

Foster from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Thanks very

much for coming along this evening. This is a horrible mess. It's a

dreadful blight on the landscape. It's affecting communities and most

importantly, the environment. You're the Environment Agency, so

why on earth have you not moved in and cleaned more of these areas up?

It certainly is a very serious issue. This sort of waste crime is

classed in the context of things like people trafficking and drug

trafficking. We realise it is a serious business. Our first

priority is to deal with the enforcement and track down the

offender and as you see from the piece, a lot of money is made by

this. Our principle will be we make the polluter pay. We're also

seeking to make sure that the immediate threat to the environment

is dealt with. Indeed. Does that not, since you're the Environment

Agency, is that not skewed, let the police or HMRC or whoever else

chases the perpetrator or the person who owns the land and you

clean it up in the meantime. Certainly, where we see a problem,

we work with local councils to limit the damage. We recognise that

HMRC have a role it play. The legislation is complex. I was

talking with Kevin earlier on. We recognise it's complex. We're

working with the local government now to work out how to deploy

things to the best effect. It will be interesting to see how that

works. When I talk about the land owner, I wasn't referring to this

particular case. But there are sites right along the boarder in a

similarly awful state. Why should your rate payers have to pay for

it? Indeed. That's the case that we have to the department. This is a

problem that should be spread across the whole of the country and

there should be a central fund for this, for these waste sites to be

cleaned up with. That's how it is in the Republic of Ireland. The

councils clear up the site but they get a refund for all the works they

have to take. Equally, you have cleaned this up now, this site that

we've been looking at, and as we heard from Chris, you could have

cleaned it up on the first day it was dumped there. It's a cat-and-

mouse game almost that's going on between your council and the other

agencies. We don't want to get into too many specifics about this site.

On this site there were interesting aspects with this. There was

something like 127 tons of waste on the site. Last year we removed

something like 160 tons throughout the district. That was almost the

same of the whole of the last year. It was huge? It was. It was

important that some sort of investigation was carried out. We

have to remember the prime responsibility for this crime is

the people who actually put the waste there. By and large, we won't

be able to get those people. But the land owner has a responsibility

to take steps to secure his property to ensure this kiem does

not take place. Before we spend rate payers' money it's important

that those steps are taken to identify the culprit and make them

bear the costs of the clean up. Finally, there's legislation in the

pipeline, it seems, on all of this, it's been slow to get to the point

that it's at now. How soon do you think there may be a real change in

this? The legislation is there. We need to make it operational. The

minister is keen we make progress with local Government. We've now

established in principle a pilot study with six councils we hope to

start in the next few weeks. Thank you both very much for coming along.

You've been letting us know what the story is in your corner. Plenty

of messages from the people at home on the MRI scanner. Louise says "It

would be great to get the scanner. We need commitment from Mr Putts on

funding and staff." That's all for tonight. Contact me on e-mail or

join the discussion online. Next week we're live from Portadown

health centre in County Armagh. Then we travel to Cookstown and

then Newtownabbey. That's it for this week. Thank you