08/08/2011 BBC Newsline


08/08/2011

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Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Donna Traynor and Mark

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Carruthers. The headlines this Monday evening. Business and union

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leaders meet over the world debt crisis.

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But the Finance Minister says there's not much room for manoeuvre.

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That does not mean we should throw up our hands and surrender and say,

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nothing we can do about this, bury our heads in the sand and hope it

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goes away. Three men appear in court charged

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with the attempted murder of a teenager in Antrim.

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The GAA referee in a critical condition after collapsing during a

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match in Newry. Was an oil spill at a big motor

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bike race at the weekend deliberate sabotage?

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And is this the man to stop the exodus of young Northern Ireland

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footballers to the Republic? And summer seems to be on hold for

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most of this week - tomorrow though is the exception. I'll have all the

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weather for you later in the programme.

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The Finance Minister says he will make protecting jobs his priority

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in the face of continuing worries about the world economy.

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Sammy Wilson chaired a meeting of business and union leaders this

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morning, but admitted there is little the Executive at Stormont

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can really do. We'll be hearing from him shortly.

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The turmoil on the international markets is all related to the huge

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amounts of debt which have built up in many economies, including ours.

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BBC Newsline's Natasha Sayee has been looking at the debt problems

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which run from the high street to high finance.

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Cast your mind back to the boom times around four years ago. We

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talked about the huge increases in the value of houses, credit was

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cheap, shopping centres were flourishing. Victoria Square had

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just opened and for some, it's �1,000 humpbacks were within reach

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and if you could not afford it, but it on the expanding plastic --

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handbags. But the credit crunch and recession changed that and it is

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now a different world. In the good old days, we ran up huge personal

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debt because it was cheap and easy to borrow money. But now we have to

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pay it back and we are spending less and are worried about the

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future, and that means we are keeping a tighter eye on the purse

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strings. There is obviously less money around and the cost of living

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is more expensive so everyone is generally watching what they are

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spending and how they are spending, spending smarter probably.

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spending as much and cutting back on a few things. I do not shop as

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much as I used to. You look for finish you do need, what is the

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point of spending your money when you need it? The belt-tightening is

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affecting us all and some businesses are tightening. This is

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noticeable in the shops. In Castle Court, fought for his down and some

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stores are taking in less and the store is up for half the value it

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was for sale at a few years ago. Were an people do not spend money,

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that creates difficulties for businesses -- when people. Business

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costs are going up and they are in the squeeze. They want more people

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to spend and keep prices down so people will continue to buy, but

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their costs are also going up. So it is a difficult balance for

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retailers. So with consumers, banks and businesses weighed down by debt,

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economic activity has dropped and ironically, to plug the hole,

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governments across the Western world borrowed more. But the

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institutions they borrowed from are increasingly nervous they will not

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get their money back, which has been the cause of the turmoil

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recently. So governments including Stormont have to cut some of that

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debt, it is called the leveraging. And that means that we are facing a

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long and painful period in the economy, and one where we are all

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going to have to learn to within our means. -- to learn to live.

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Today's meeting of business and union leaders was convened by the

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Finance Minister to look for ideas on how to reduce the potential

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damage of global forces on our local economy.

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But what can a Regional Finance Minister do? Our business and

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economics editor, Jim Fitzpatrick, caught up with Sammy Wilson after

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the talks and asked him if the meeting was purely for show.

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first of all, we do recognise there are limitations any regional

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government will have given that the global pressure there is, whether

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it is with the euro or the American economy or whatever. But

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nevertheless, the meeting turned out to be quite useful in my view

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to look first of all at how do the people who are working at the

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Northern Ireland economy from various sites assess the impact?

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And secondly, have they any ideas on anything's which they believe we

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as an Executive should be doing? And people might say they are

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marginal, but if marginals saves 500 or 600 jobs, is that not

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important? It is to those people to keep their jobs. And what one idea

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do you most want to focus on now? We are determined to safeguard as

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many jobs in private and public- sector and look for ways of

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creating jobs in the private and public sector that people can be

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sure they will have an income in the future to spend. You are going

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to have a separate meeting with the banks, are you expecting a fight on

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your hands given what people were telling you here today? The banks

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are in a difficult position, they have created many difficulties for

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businesses as well and I have been critical of the bank's critically -

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- publicly and privately. I also recognise the difficulties they

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have. However, I do think they have an important role to play in

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Northern Ireland. And this retrenchment when they are more

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concerned about, what does our balance sheet look like, rather

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than, what impact to we have on the businesses who have been good

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customers for years, is something I think I need to iron out with them.

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Many thanks. That was Sammy Wilson talking. Three men in their early

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20s have appeared in court charged with attempting to kill a teenage

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boy in Antrim on Friday. The charges relate to an attack on a 17

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year old in Station Road that the police believe had a sectarian

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motive. Our reporter, Chris Page, was at Coleraine Magistrates' Court.

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Arriving at Coleraine court has today, three men charged with

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trying to kill his 17-year-old. -- Court House. The accused are all

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from Antrim. Nathan Wilson, 20, 23- year-old Colin Kingsbury and cow

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Taggart, 23 were in the dock. They are induced -- accused of carrying

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out the attack on Jordan Duffy, a Catholic, and police believe the

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assault was sectarian. It happened early on Friday. Jordan Duffy's

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injuries were initially thought to be life-threatening and he is now

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in a stable condition in Belfast. A detective constable said there were

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three witnesses to the attack and that in police interviews, each of

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the accused gave a different version of events. There were no

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bail applications. The three men were remanded in custody.

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A football referee who had a heart attack at a club game last night

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was given life-saving treatment with a defibrillator on the pitch.

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He was in a critical condition when taken to hospital, but his

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condition has now improved. The Gaelic football match was in

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Newry between Burren and Longstone. And, as our district journalist

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Francis Gorman reports, it's the second time in just a few weeks

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that one of the heart machines has been used at a local sports game.

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The game was nearly over when 46- year-old Gabriel told he collapsed

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on the pitch. Medics took -- medics rushed to his side assisted by

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medics and a nurse. She was back at nurse today and with a volunteer

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patient showed how a different a later works. She described what

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happened at the match when she saw the referee for. A nurse and a

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doctor were at the scene. I carried out CPR and waited on the deferred

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a later to come, which came fairly quickly. We attached into the

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machine and carried out a shock. That was done twice and that

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brought him back into briefing and a pulse. He was lucky. And very

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lucky. He was lucky the machine was close to hand and that there was a

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team of medical people with him at that time. The consultant who

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treated the referee says all sports clubs should have a machine on the

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premises. The fact there was one at the club meant Gabriel's pulse was

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restored quickly and he had no brain damage. Undoubtedly, it meant

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that most likely it saved his life. If there had been a delay, it is

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more likely he would not have made a normal new logical recovery or

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would not have been alert when he arrived to us. Following the death

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of All Ireland champion -- and all Ireland's champion, many clubs now

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have a machine on the premises in case of medical emergencies.

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You are watching BBC Newsline, still to come on the programme.

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The IFA's new initiative to try to make sure our young stars play for

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Northern Ireland and not the Republic.

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And find out how an Olympic hopeful recovered from this to win her next

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The organisers of the Mid Antrim 150 Motorcycle Road Race have vowed

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to keep the event going, despite its cancellation at the weekend. It

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is believed an oil spill on the course near Clough had been put

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there deliberately. BBC Newsline's Will Leitch reports.

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The riders race to Antrim's rural roads been village streets, speeds

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approaching 200 miles per hour. But not this weekend. The discovery of

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oil on sections of the track outside Clough made a difficult

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choice for race organisers. could have smelled the diesel in

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the morning. I got the roads closed and contacted the police, and the

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road was totally covered in diesel and heavy oil. Go at morning,

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everybody, not the best of starts today! For the second year in a row,

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spectators were left and wondering when racing might start and

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weathered the spillages on two major sections were up by accident

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or design. One of the worst-hit areas was here, riders come along

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here at speed before slowing down for a left-hand turn. They say they

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are ill was put to with it on the road directly in the wind when they

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would be racing and where they would break. The person that did

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this knew exactly what they were doing, they are involved in

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motorcycle racing, that is what I believe. It is very, very

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disappointing. Then at lunch time came the rain and the cancellation

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of the race meeting. Considering the amount of work done on this

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course over the last few weeks, I just feel so let down and

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disappointed. Let down by the people that did the work. But my

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concern was the safety of the competitors. Whoever was behind it,

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it worked. No racing this year. And while club members have told the

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BBC they want to continue, they are meeting tonight to consider the

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future of the Mid Antrim 150 Motorcycle Road Race.

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Police are being urged to make rural crime a priority following a

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28% rise in thefts from farms over the past two years. One of the main

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insurance companies' estimates agricultural machinery worth about

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�3.8 million is stolen annually. Worth almost �50,000, this is the

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sort of farm machinery thieves are after. But in this case, the fee

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for spotted driving it away and the tractor was recovered. -- the thief

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was spotted. The farmer says had the police reacted faster, that

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Diouf would have been caught red- handed. A half an hour later, the

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police arrived and did not have a big interest. It had left... I do

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not know why it someone else could have not come out sooner, this is

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life. The many agricultural vehicles stolen in Northern Ireland

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are not recovered, but the NFU Mutual says some vehicles have been

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recovered as far away as Australia and South Africa. That points to

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the involvement of criminal gangs using established routes out of the

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country. It used to be mainly equipment out of building sites,

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but since the property crash, farmyards are now the major target.

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We have a lot of ongoing reports of the thefts of quad bikes, tractors,

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livestock, power tools, and the problem seems to be getting worse.

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Back today's report finally quantify is the extent of the

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problem which is a good thing and we need to focus on the solution.

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Be Ps and I says crime is down in a four roar police in districts in

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Northern Ireland -- the police service in Northern Ireland.

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Farmers are asked to take security numbers. For farmers buying these

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products probably do not keep a sail number which they should do,

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that product may move to an auction within Ireland or within the UK.

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For livestock theft is also a problem. Northern Ireland is the

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second highest region for cattle rustling in the UK. Farmers'

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leaders and police commanders were leaked -- will meet later this week

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The head of their several service offers a starting salary of

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�140,000. The pose is up for grabs Pezzoli if you are already working

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in -- the post is up for grabs but only if you of already working in

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Ireland in the civil service. Who is raising these concerns? Their

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concerns are coming from two quarters. The Civil Service

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Commissioners are making sure these jobs are allocated on merit through

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fair competition. They have concerns about this process. I sped

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to a politician he said it is a scandal this post isn't opened to a

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wider talent pool. I would like to see this post as widely open as

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possible, with an opportunity for are the people from other parts of

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Britain and the Republic of Ireland to apply for the post. Everyone is

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on an equal plane and we did have this hierarchy of the old boys

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brigade that has persisted for too long. What is this a full service

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saying about the controversy? civil-service are taken aback by

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the controversy. They see this process is in line with what

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happens in London and Dublin. Sir Bruce Weber's and was appointed

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after a process that had an internal advertising campaign. --

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Sir Bruce Robert son. They don't have the power to compel him to

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After another defection in international football, what can be

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done to stop the exodus of players from Northern Ireland.

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Gavin is here with a possible solution.

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Gerry Armstrong is being hired to curb the number of young players

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here who are switching her international allegiance to the

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Republic. His appointment which will be confirmed tomorrow, follows

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another member to retire from playing against the Faeroe Islands.

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It is not the first time at a defection from the squad has

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disrupted the build-up to a qualifying game. For manager Nigel

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wording -- Worthington, he was looking to focus on those that were

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training, rather than those that weren't. What the association is

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that he wants to represent the Republic. I have to -- respect that

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and have to move on. I am focused on the players that are here. We

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have to concentrate on them and get it right for Wednesday night.

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McLean did a fitness test today. This was the first time he had been

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included having previously represented Northern Ireland up to

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21 level. James McLean, a here. will travel to Belfast to take up

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his new post. As well as encouraging new players to stay

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with Northern Ireland, he wants to meet those there have already made

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the switch to the Republic. We have spent a lot of money in developing

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young players in Northern Ireland. To see them walkaway at the end is

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disappointing and disheartening. I would like to say that I would like

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to see a stronger squad. McLean said it was his dream to rip it

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does represent the Republic of Ireland but for the IFA, player

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eligibility is turning into a nightmare.

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The domestic football season kicked off this weekend. Peter Thomson who

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has been called into the Northern Ireland spot didn't get on the

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score sheet but the champion start their title defence with a 2-1 win

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over Ken Adam. Nathan Hanley picked the spot to score their second game.

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Glentoran beat Crusaders. Darren Boyce snatched a 90th winner.

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For Martin Donnelly fired in the early goal of the game for

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Cliftonville. Darren Murray made the perfect start to his career.

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The home side got their first ever win.

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Add to a dramatic day for Kevin my kit -- Ciara Mageean. She fell on

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their finish line through exhaustion but when her next race.

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This is her out in front in the closing stages of the 800 metres.

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She had led the race from the start, going out hard to break clear of

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the other competitors. That exertion took its toll feet from

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the finish line. She was clearly distraught

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afterwards and it might have ended another athlete afternoon. She

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picked herself up and went for some food and rest and two hours later,

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she was back on the track, contesting and winning the 1,500

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metres. I came off the track thinking,

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right, we have to do it. I had some food and decided to warm up and see

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how I felt. I didn't really not want to run. I am pretty glad I did

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because I came out on top. Another athlete who should be pleased is

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Jason Smith. He won the men's 400 metres and is on the Ireland team

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for the World Athletics Championships in Korea.

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It was one of those weekends where -- for to run. They lost their

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Seven points was the difference. Strange as it may sound, attention

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is taking -- turning to the future of some of those players. 92 grown

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men who played at Croke Park are over 30 years of age and... A lot

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have dedicated their lives. They have made the sacrifices and the

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commitment and have had the honour of playing for to Rome. Those

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players don't own Tyrone anything. They should not rush into any

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decisions and wait for a whole thing up. They are expected to meet

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some time next week and there could be seven players calling it a day.

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If those players resign, the message is they won't be easy to

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replace. The thing for any manager is they want a balance of

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experience. They have been very successful and you will not replace

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those players overnight. I wouldn't be too hasty in writing them off

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yet. After so much success, there may yet be plenty more to be

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positive about if you are a Tyrone a supporter.

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For the rest of the weekend's sport and we have a dramatic bike race

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involving this man at Brands Hatch. There is close racing and then

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there is this. Alastair Seeley and Ben Wilson have battled it out all

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year but they race at Brands Hatch was a classic. He got her money

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outside again. In the end, the Carrick Fergus a man run by three

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hundreds of the second. I had to nudge him out of the way. I was in

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front and I could hear him coming. We rub elbows but that gets me

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fired up ready for the action. And also met race with them. I really

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enjoyed it and it meant a lot crossing their line.

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Not much to shout about for the Irish rugby team. Declan Kidney's

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men were defeated. Next up, 80 for Test, France and Bordeaux this

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Saturday evening. Rory McIlroy Roy has shown some

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good form in America ahead of this week's 4th major of the year. He

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finished in a tie for 6th in Ohio. He would take up for membership of

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the US Tour next season. There was a unique ceremony for Jimi Ogunkoya

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Royal Saturday. He was awarded his MBE on the pitch at his beloved

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Burnley, thanks to some advice from an old team-mate. I got a phone

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call from Harry Gregg, the Manchester United goalkeeper. His

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first words on the phone wire, "you are in for the most boring day of

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your life, going to Buckingham Palace to pick it up." that is

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where I decided to have it here. emotional day for one of the great.

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Was it a boring day for an OBE? I didn't think so.

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Cecilia hopefully is going to Cecilia hopefully is going to

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become a Dame if she brings us some sunshine.

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I have ever been one for titles. We have not got a lot of sunshine

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this week. Tomorrow, it is your best day of the week. We had some

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strange weather over the weekend. Varied weather. If you saw clouds

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like that running towards you, you would probably head for shelter.

0:25:520:25:57

The Red Arrows managed to get their display at Newcastle. There was

0:25:570:26:03

some flooding also over the weekend. Today, we haven't had rain but the

0:26:030:26:08

wind has been cool. It probably felt like autumn in some places

0:26:090:26:14

today. That will slowly eased during the next 24 hours. Still

0:26:140:26:18

breezy along the north coast. One or two share was passing through.

0:26:180:26:25

Most places are dry. -- one or two showers passing through. We will

0:26:250:26:28

keep an eye on things from Wednesday onwards because there is

0:26:280:26:33

a lot of wet weather coming in. There's no warning yet but it will

0:26:330:26:41

certainly be significant. Tomorrow morning, generally dry. One are to

0:26:410:26:46

showers in County Antrim. Some sunshine at times and the winds

0:26:460:26:50

starting to ease. It should be dry in most eastern counties. When the

0:26:500:26:58

sun is shining, it shouldn't feel too bad. Temperatures nothing to

0:26:580:27:04

write home about. Over to the West, although dry, the cloud will be

0:27:040:27:09

building. That is ahead of the rain coming our way tomorrow evening. We

0:27:090:27:15

see the rain its opinion around teatime. By midnight, it will be

0:27:150:27:20

raining in most places. We have persistent and heavy rain during

0:27:200:27:24

the second part of the night. A lot of surface water to come on

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Wednesday morning. That rain will continue during the day. Not a

0:27:290:27:33

great day on Wednesday. Still heavy rain for the second half of the

0:27:330:27:35

rain for the second half of the week. The temperatures rise a

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little bit. Not a great combination.

0:27:410:27:47

The headlines: Business and union leaders have that the finance

0:27:470:27:50

minister at Stormont to discuss a response to the debt crisis.

0:27:500:27:54

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