:00:14. > :00:16.Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Donna Traynor and Noel
:00:16. > :00:25.Thompson. The headlines this Wednesday evening -
:00:25. > :00:31.Margaret Ritchie's expected to face Children run for cover gunmen opens
:00:31. > :00:37.Battling the bottleneck. Plans for an Enniskillen bypass are unveiled
:00:37. > :00:47.but where's the money? After a ten year wrangle some giant
:00:47. > :00:48.
:00:48. > :00:51.steps for a visitors centre on the north coast. One year and
:00:51. > :00:54.accounting for a landmark day in London and for their Northern
:00:54. > :00:57.Ireland. We are at the Olympic Stadium.
:00:57. > :01:05.And it's all change in the weather, rain replaces sunshine this evening
:01:05. > :01:09.and there'll be a sharp fall in The holiday months are usually
:01:09. > :01:11.quiet in politics but it looks like being a hot and heavy summer for
:01:11. > :01:15.the SDLP with speculation that the party's deputy leader is preparing
:01:15. > :01:18.to challenge Margaret Ritchie for the leadership.
:01:18. > :01:21.Patsy McGlone's formal challenge would have to wait for the animal
:01:21. > :01:24.conference in November, but as our political editor, Mark Devenport,
:01:24. > :01:34.exclusively reveals the Mid Ulster MLA could declare his hand in the
:01:34. > :01:37.
:01:37. > :01:44.I want to announce at the new leader is a Magritte to achieve.
:01:44. > :01:49.Margaret Ritchie became SDLP leader ago beating the South Belfast MP,
:01:49. > :01:53.Alastair Macdonald by 35 votes. The new leader overcame her first major
:01:54. > :01:59.challenge at the Westminster election of 2010. She successfully
:01:59. > :02:05.defended the South Down seat previously held by her mentor Sir,.
:02:05. > :02:13.The party retained its to overseas. During this spring's Assembly
:02:13. > :02:16.election campaign, her performances came for criticism. The said UN --
:02:16. > :02:22.against double stopping but are trying to get two people double
:02:22. > :02:26.jobs. A as the Assembly election results came in the SDLP which had
:02:26. > :02:33.hoped to make gains ended up two seats down. After the election the
:02:33. > :02:37.gulf between the leader and her deputy mate party McGlone clear. He
:02:37. > :02:42.was passed over for a ministerial job and declined to his leader's
:02:42. > :02:46.offer of a Stormont committee chairmanship. The deadline for
:02:46. > :02:49.leadership nominations is due in mid- September. It is thought he
:02:49. > :02:54.will be preparing to publicly declare his hand as early as next
:02:54. > :02:59.month. It is thought that Alastair Macdonald hasn't completely ruled
:02:59. > :03:03.himself out. Margaret Ritchie's critics wanted to stand down before
:03:03. > :03:07.the party conference later this year in order to ensure what they
:03:07. > :03:10.call a smooth transition. Over the course of the summer she has
:03:10. > :03:15.continued to insist she remains the day and will fight any challenge
:03:15. > :03:19.which she might face in the autumn. Children had to run to safety when
:03:19. > :03:22.gunmen opened fire in a park in west Belfast last night. Sinn Fein
:03:22. > :03:29.claimed it seems to be a case of dissidents falling out with local
:03:29. > :03:36.hoods. Kevin Sharkey has been to the park. Today, to Oldham were
:03:36. > :03:42.playing football here. It is a city council park. This Willowbank Park
:03:42. > :03:45.is very busy by day and night. There is a children's play area
:03:46. > :03:50.behind me. A lot of young children were out playing. There is a
:03:50. > :03:54.football pitch and a match taking place. After the match started a
:03:54. > :03:58.number of men came into the grounds, called out the names of some people
:03:58. > :04:03.they were looking for and when they could not find them they fired
:04:03. > :04:07.shots into the air. Here in West Belfast, I have been talking to a
:04:07. > :04:10.number of people who live here and did not want to appear on camera
:04:10. > :04:14.but they did tell me that there was quite a lot of panic last night as
:04:14. > :04:24.people started to run for cover. daughter came home terrified saying
:04:24. > :04:26.
:04:26. > :04:32.what had happened. She had to hide under the slide. She was terrified.
:04:32. > :04:38.One had his hand over his ears saying it was noisy. I was shocked
:04:38. > :04:44.at my children saw that kind of thing. Councillors say frustration
:04:44. > :04:53.over anti-social elements can bubble over. They described to me
:04:53. > :05:00.what had happened. Somebody came in. Everybody had left their was dead
:05:00. > :05:04.quiet afterwards. Local neighbours came out. The place was pandemonium.
:05:04. > :05:08.Given the number of people here, there was pandemonium. Police say
:05:08. > :05:13.they have not received a complaint yet but inquiries are continuing to
:05:13. > :05:15.find out what happened. A 22-year-old man is being
:05:15. > :05:20.questioned about the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh has
:05:20. > :05:24.been released. Four other men and a woman, who was arrested in the town
:05:24. > :05:26.this morning, are still being questioned. Mr Kerr died in a car
:05:26. > :05:29.bomb attack outside his home in April.
:05:29. > :05:32.Next to the Smithwick Tribunal in Dublin which is investigating
:05:32. > :05:35.claims of Garda collusion in the murders of Harry Breen and Bob
:05:35. > :05:39.Buchanan in 1989. The senior RUC officers were ambushed by the IRA
:05:39. > :05:43.after leaving a meeting with the gardai in Dundalk. The first phase
:05:43. > :05:46.of the public hearings ended for the summer today. Our Dublin
:05:46. > :05:55.reporter Jennifer O'Leary has been covering it for us. Jenifer, has
:05:55. > :06:00.there been any evidence of collusion so far?
:06:00. > :06:05.Just to clarify first, what is meant by collusion in a case like
:06:05. > :06:10.this. It isn't an admission of an act that the failure to act. It
:06:10. > :06:19.includes turning a blind eye to something. There has not been any
:06:19. > :06:23.direct evidence of active collusion. We did hear that in 1987 a high-
:06:23. > :06:28.ranking officer was told are you see concerns about an officer based
:06:28. > :06:33.at a police station was described as a necessarily associating with
:06:33. > :06:39.the IRA. That so officer did not seem to us express any concern
:06:39. > :06:45.about this. That tribunal can't put this information to him as he has
:06:45. > :06:49.since died. There is a long time to go. Only the judge can come to any
:06:49. > :06:53.conclusions. When it returns in the autumn, who can we expect to hear
:06:53. > :06:58.from? There are a number of key witnesses who made allegations of
:06:58. > :07:06.collusion. There are a number of people who have claimed to have
:07:06. > :07:13.spies in the higher rate. -- in the eye area. It concerns a man from
:07:13. > :07:18.Newry. He claims to have been an MI5 agent. There is the man who
:07:18. > :07:25.used a name of Martin Ingram. He handled IRA informers for the
:07:25. > :07:28.British Army. Also, a number of IRA commanders. They have given
:07:29. > :07:32.evidence to the tribunal including one who was involved in the ambush
:07:32. > :07:37.but it remains to be seen as to whether any of them will give
:07:37. > :07:39.direct evidence. A we will return to the autumn to cover all the
:07:39. > :07:43.witness statements. Wasted hours in Enniskillen's
:07:43. > :07:47.traffic jams could be a frustration of the past if a new bypass becomes
:07:47. > :07:50.reality. While the minister says there is no money to build one yet
:07:50. > :07:54.a plan for the route of a new road went on public display today. Now,
:07:54. > :07:57.at the moment if you are travelling between Belfast and Sligo you have
:07:57. > :08:01.to go through the town. If and when there is a bypass the traffic would
:08:01. > :08:06.go from the A4 Belfast Road across a new bridge near the Killyhevlin
:08:06. > :08:09.Hotel. The four kilometre route would lead to the Sligo Road. A
:08:09. > :08:17.short option would end at the Derrylin Road. Julian Fowler
:08:17. > :08:22.explains on why people believe a bypass is long overdue.
:08:22. > :08:26.There was some relief for motorists in Enniskillen this morning as the
:08:26. > :08:31.holidays meant traffic was lighter than normal. Congested in the town
:08:31. > :08:35.can be a nightmare. Enniskillen is an island town and that is the
:08:35. > :08:41.problem. All the traffic that wants to pass through has to cross one of
:08:41. > :08:45.the bridges over the earned and at peak times that can cause a real 2
:08:45. > :08:51.litre bottles of cider. The Enniskillen southern bypass would
:08:51. > :08:55.involve building a new bridge. The estimated cost is now �30 million.
:08:55. > :09:01.The minister admits he doesn't have the money to build it. It will
:09:01. > :09:07.depend on getting the statutory approvals, it will depend on events
:09:07. > :09:15.are a public inquiry. It will largely depend on the availability
:09:15. > :09:19.of finance. I'm not going to put a timeline or date on it. It would
:09:19. > :09:22.cost -- cut journey times but what about the economic impact? Two more
:09:22. > :09:27.shops and the high streets are pulling down the shutters this week
:09:27. > :09:31.so would a bypass be the death- knell for her town-centre shops?
:09:32. > :09:37.Not according to one Enniskillen trader. We are standing at the
:09:37. > :09:40.Killyhevlin Hotel here. My business attracts customers from the east of
:09:40. > :09:45.the province and they will take longer to get from where we are
:09:45. > :09:49.standing to Enniskillen than the word from getting to Belfast to
:09:49. > :09:53.hear. It is really crazy. There are 10 set of traffic lights on the
:09:53. > :09:59.road through the town and many motorists say a bypass is badly
:09:59. > :10:07.needed. We have been the poor work relations for long enough and have
:10:07. > :10:12.been laughed at the wayside. It is long overdue. It has been hard to
:10:12. > :10:20.bypass but it is crying out for a bypass. No, definitely not. We
:10:20. > :10:24.can't afford it. Absolutely, it is an absolute nightmare. In the
:10:24. > :10:31.current financial climate there will be no end to the congestion
:10:31. > :10:35.You are watching BBC Newsline. Still to come on the programme -
:10:35. > :10:45.How the closure of a hotel has a ripple effect through the whole of
:10:45. > :10:45.
:10:45. > :10:53.a seaside town. Manchester United playing here can only mean one
:10:53. > :10:56.thing, the Milk Cup youth football Work only started a few months ago
:10:56. > :10:58.but already the new visitor centre at the Giants Causeway is taking
:10:58. > :11:02.shape. Our rural affairs correspondent Martin Cassidy went
:11:02. > :11:04.there to see what the multi-million pound project looks like. He spent
:11:04. > :11:11.time with the architects, builders and project managers from the
:11:11. > :11:20.National Trust. It has provided many happy memories
:11:20. > :11:25.that doors of the Marine Hotel have been closed since Christmas. Before
:11:25. > :11:33.going into effete -- receivership in May. It has left the town
:11:33. > :11:43.without a major hotel. A club the closure of the hotel has
:11:43. > :11:45.
:11:45. > :11:48.been a huge blow. It is a flagship and it is a focus point when the
:11:48. > :11:51.tourists come here. We had the wrong report their! New
:11:51. > :11:55.facilities at the Giant's Causeway bring more tourists to the north
:11:55. > :12:01.coast on it is too late for a business to benefit as we have been
:12:01. > :12:11.finding out. The closure of at the Central Hotel has been felt
:12:11. > :12:14.
:12:14. > :12:19.Have hit has provided many happy memories - - memories. But the
:12:19. > :12:23.doors of the Marine Hotel and Ballycastle have been closed since
:12:23. > :12:28.Christmas before going into receivership in May. It has left
:12:28. > :12:35.the town without a major hotel. closure of the hotel has been a big
:12:35. > :12:39.loss to the business community here. It is a focal point, a flagship. It
:12:39. > :12:44.is a focal point for whenever tourists come to Ballycastle, if
:12:44. > :12:50.they want to stay. But it being closed at the moment, but focal
:12:50. > :12:56.point has been lost. Inside it looks like business as usual. Many
:12:56. > :13:01.local clubs and groups relied on the venue for functions and
:13:01. > :13:11.fundraisers. It is a big loss to our club and surrounding clubs. Now
:13:11. > :13:11.
:13:11. > :13:16.we need to go outside the town for our annual dinner. All the clubs
:13:16. > :13:21.will need to look for a new venue. The council does not have a leisure
:13:21. > :13:27.centre, so one of the other benefits of this would tell was its
:13:27. > :13:32.leisure facilities. There is one group that is missing the pull more
:13:32. > :13:39.than most. The windows appear tend to be longer and colder and darker
:13:39. > :13:42.than in most places comic scenes. The pulls a big meeting centre.
:13:42. > :13:49.was not on the good for keeping us mobile, but you get friendly with
:13:49. > :13:57.all the other participants. It was like a little club. We used to have
:13:57. > :14:02.aerobics twice a week. It was more than just keeping us dead, it was
:14:02. > :14:07.the social side. The council says the closure is a blow to the local
:14:07. > :14:11.economy, but it is optimistic it will reopen. The hotel would have
:14:11. > :14:16.been the heartbeat of the town, particularly for the local
:14:16. > :14:19.community and visitors. There is very little that we can do in
:14:19. > :14:24.relation to the closure of itself as a private enterprise, but we're
:14:24. > :14:30.hoping that the private sector will return the hotel to its former
:14:30. > :14:38.glory. The owner was unavailable for comment, but it is believed the
:14:38. > :14:44.hotel will be put up for sale in the autumn.
:14:44. > :14:48.Let's go back to the Giants Causeway and are reports on the
:14:48. > :14:53.visitor centre. It is our number one tourist
:14:53. > :14:56.attraction, but as well as the Stones, this summer there is
:14:56. > :15:01.something you for tourists to see. Work only began in March, but
:15:01. > :15:05.already the new visitors' centre is taking shape. While visitors browse
:15:05. > :15:10.around the Heritage Site, teams of steelworkers prepare one of the
:15:10. > :15:13.final what sections for its concrete skin. In just a few more
:15:13. > :15:22.weeks to build them work on the roof will be finished, then comes
:15:22. > :15:28.the Transport Mission - - the transformation. This reform will be
:15:28. > :15:35.so one with seeds and grass and it will look like a wild meadow.
:15:35. > :15:42.Locally quarried stone will be used to clad the walls and black basalt
:15:42. > :15:52.is used to related to the surroundings. The stonemasons are
:15:52. > :15:53.
:15:53. > :15:59.providing amazing craftsmanship. More than 80 work men are currently
:15:59. > :16:03.on site. The building programme is on schedule. At 18 when �5 million
:16:03. > :16:10.it is a major investment for taxpayers as well as the National
:16:10. > :16:18.Trust. We are being funded by the Tourist Board and the National
:16:18. > :16:24.Trust itself. It is an on budgets. If all goes to plan, the new
:16:24. > :16:28.building is due to open next spring. It will be 12 years after the
:16:28. > :16:32.original visitors' centre bird to the ground. The arguments over the
:16:32. > :16:37.site may have gone on for over a decade, but now at last there is
:16:37. > :16:40.the feeling good giant steps are being taken.
:16:40. > :16:42.Now sport, and Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy have both been made
:16:42. > :16:45.honorary life members of the European Tour in recognition of
:16:45. > :16:51.their British and US Open victories. The pair were presented with their
:16:51. > :16:54.badges at the Irish Open today. Thomas Niblock is in Killarney.
:16:54. > :17:04.It is the second consecutive year that the Irish Open has been held
:17:04. > :17:06.
:17:06. > :17:16.here. The difference between last year and this, that there are two
:17:16. > :17:21.
:17:21. > :17:25.new major winners. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, was here. Both Rory
:17:25. > :17:32.McIlroy and Darren Clarke became on remembers of the European Tour this
:17:32. > :17:37.afternoon. Just because I have won a golf tournaments hasn't changed
:17:37. > :17:43.the perception I have of myself or me in any way whatsoever. I won a
:17:43. > :17:49.golf tournaments. I want to win some more. There has been a little
:17:49. > :17:53.bit of chat about what I should or should not have done. Look what
:17:53. > :17:59.happened in Norway over the weekend. Rory McIlroy is another major
:17:59. > :18:05.winner playing this weekend hoping for success. No matter what country
:18:05. > :18:11.you from, you want to win your national open. Being a major
:18:11. > :18:15.champion in coming here this year, expectations are going to be highly.
:18:15. > :18:19.It would be great to win the Irish Open having had the best results in
:18:20. > :18:26.this tournament - - I have not had the best result here in the last
:18:26. > :18:30.couple of years, but I am very excited. Organisers will be hoping
:18:30. > :18:36.that having four Irish major winners will attract crowds. The
:18:36. > :18:46.prize fund has been have to down to 1.5 million euros, but no real
:18:46. > :19:07.
:19:07. > :19:15.surprises the bookmakers favour is, surprises the bookmakers favour is,
:19:15. > :19:18.matches, Stephen, what's the latest on the Ballymoney teenager Chris
:19:18. > :19:28.McNeill who collapsed during his game on Monday? It is exactly one
:19:28. > :19:33.
:19:33. > :19:42.year to go to the Olympic Games in Kris Meeke meal, it sounds like
:19:42. > :19:46.everything is going to be OK. So, why does Manchester United keep
:19:46. > :19:50.coming to the Milk Cup? It it is a nice chance for the team to see
:19:50. > :19:54.boys who might make it into the first in later on. We know that so
:19:54. > :19:58.many big stars have come through and played at the Milk Cup, like
:19:58. > :20:06.David Beckham and Ryan Giggs. Realistically, how many of these
:20:06. > :20:12.young boys go on to make it at the club? I think about 80 % get out
:20:13. > :20:18.good few years and the ball, maybe not at the top level. Sunderland
:20:18. > :20:23.have about five of our boys at the moment. There are other boys around
:20:23. > :20:27.in Peterborough and places. They have all got good careers, and that
:20:27. > :20:33.is what it is about at the can make it at Manchester United. Coming
:20:33. > :20:39.here is about learning life skills as well. Yes, life skills. They
:20:39. > :20:44.have to learn with - - learn what to do with the fans, give
:20:44. > :20:48.autographs and so want. They have a full day to prepare for a game,
:20:48. > :20:52.which is difficult at times for young boys. They need to prepare
:20:52. > :21:02.professionally for the Games. They have only been together for three
:21:02. > :21:12.weeks. Good luck tonight. Highlights are on the red button
:21:12. > :21:17.
:21:17. > :21:20.All this week on BBC Newsline we're looking at the best local hopes for
:21:20. > :21:23.Gold medals next summer at the London 2012 games. Tonight we are
:21:23. > :21:26.looking at the powerful, pocket- sized boxing champion Paddy Barnes,
:21:26. > :21:30.who just needs Olympic Gold to complete his collection. Paddy
:21:30. > :21:36.Barnes started boxing at 11. He said he had not even heard of the
:21:36. > :21:42.Olympic Games! In the pre- London hype, it is almost forgotten that
:21:42. > :21:49.her most successful amateur lost his first 15 fights. 11 years on,
:21:49. > :21:55.he harbours but one dream. Gold. A grin about it every night. Polished
:21:55. > :22:03.in Dublin's high-performance unit, but forged in inner-city Belfast,
:22:03. > :22:07.remarkably badly Barnes is now a fit Club's 70 Olympian. He doesn't
:22:07. > :22:14.respect any other fighter in the world and he just wants to win. He
:22:14. > :22:19.will not be content until he gets a gold medal. He was a first European
:22:19. > :22:25.jabbing from the north, and the Commonwealth gold. I must be one of
:22:25. > :22:34.the favourites, so I am one of the better boxers. I should be going
:22:34. > :22:39.into the ring with confidence high. It also helps that he can call upon
:22:39. > :22:45.an old sparring partner who is now professional. We have been training
:22:45. > :22:53.together since we were kids. We know each other quite well. What is
:22:53. > :23:01.the tale of the taping you fight? - - 1 to me. I would think that the
:23:01. > :23:06.Times that I beat Paddy, I am being in the Boxer is today. I think it
:23:06. > :23:12.should be to each! For all his success the more striking thing
:23:12. > :23:17.about Paddy Barnes is his sense of fun. But don't be duped. Standing
:23:18. > :23:27.just five feet three inches tall and weighing 48 kilos, he packs a
:23:28. > :23:34.
:23:34. > :23:36.mighty punch. It is exactly one year to go to the
:23:36. > :23:39.Olympic Games in London. Suddenly the biggest sporting show on Earth
:23:39. > :23:42.doesn't seem very far away. Our reporter Mark Sidebottom has spent
:23:43. > :23:48.the day at the main Olympic Park in Stratford in East London. Good
:23:48. > :23:51.evening, Mark. You're a bit early for any sporting action! They are
:23:51. > :23:56.expecting the Olympics to attract 5 million be able to London next year,
:23:56. > :24:05.so I've got a we get results and a receipt! Half a billion pounds the
:24:05. > :24:15.stadium cost. Just to my right is a bit of public art. It cost 22
:24:15. > :24:18.
:24:18. > :24:23.million. Then the aquatics centre were we were treated this morning.
:24:24. > :24:30.It was 269 million. Earlier today we managed to catch up with Boris
:24:30. > :24:37.Johnson, and they estimate taking a bigger this made his chest as well.
:24:37. > :24:40.My chest has already pretty swollen. It is a fantastic achievement. I
:24:40. > :24:49.want to say to the people of Northern Ireland, there will be
:24:49. > :24:58.huge benefits to Northern Ireland from these games. What like?
:24:58. > :25:06.Contracts of one kind and another. She knew our view bus - - you know
:25:06. > :25:14.when you bus in London? It is directly designed for the people in
:25:14. > :25:17.London and it is being made in Ballymena, I'm proud to say. When
:25:18. > :25:27.the world comes to London next year, one of the icons they will see in
:25:28. > :25:32.
:25:32. > :25:42.his amazing new bus pulled in Ballymena. - - built in Ballymena.
:25:42. > :25:42.
:25:42. > :25:46.He is the consumer politician. - - Consumer politician. To this
:25:46. > :25:54.untrained eye, you have got to be impressed at this multi-billion-
:25:54. > :26:04.pound complex, and that it is here one year ahead of schedule. They
:26:04. > :26:04.
:26:04. > :26:09.are anticipating up to 5 million people.
:26:09. > :26:19.The only unfortunate thing is, I don't have the ticket. And I don't
:26:19. > :26:20.
:26:20. > :26:27.Weather wise it is all change. The rain is very close to Belfast now.
:26:27. > :26:31.We have had her real East West split it today. Thick cloud and the
:26:31. > :26:35.rain has been moving in from the West that this afternoon. When it
:26:35. > :26:39.arrives temperatures will fall by about five degrees. If you are
:26:39. > :26:45.still clinging on to the dry weather in the state will be with
:26:45. > :26:52.you later on. There will be some heavy bursts. Most of the all clear
:26:52. > :27:00.whether the end of the night. No sunny start tomorrow, I'm afraid.
:27:00. > :27:05.No fantastic sun rises in the morning, it will be cloudy and damp.
:27:05. > :27:08.The last of the rain and drizzle will move away in the morning. It
:27:09. > :27:17.should be largely dry for most is is in the morning and we will
:27:17. > :27:21.eventually see some sunshine, too. Sunnier skies will sink southwards
:27:22. > :27:26.through the course of the afternoon, probably not reaching Belfast until
:27:26. > :27:30.fairly late in the day or early evening. Temperatures will be about
:27:30. > :27:35.five degrees lower than today. There will be a noticeable breeze,
:27:35. > :27:40.too. At least the sunshine does get there eventually and it will be a
:27:40. > :27:45.reasonable evening. It will be a cooler night tomorrow as well. The