25/08/2011 BBC Newsline


25/08/2011

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Good evening. The headlines: As steep rise in electricity prices is

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on the way. A man who killed a teenager but was not jailed is now

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in prison after offending again. Northern Ireland once again tops

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the class in the GCSE results but fewer students get higher grades. I

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am in Castlereagh where a report into the awarding of a council

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contract to Iris Robinson's lover will be presented to councillors

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tonight. And after heavy showers and thunderstorms, are there any

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signs of improvement? I will have the weather later. Businesses and

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households that are already finding it difficult to make ends meet. Now

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electricity prices are going up. In just over five weeks they will all

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see an 18.6 per cent rise in the cost of electricity. As our

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consumer affairs correspondent has been finding out, the burden will

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be felt across the board. Running Africa may be a minor part of most

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domestic electricity bills but for this picture's shop, an 18 point

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six percent increase is a chilling prospect. It will be very

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detrimental because of the amount of the refrigeration we require.

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Our electricity bill for this shop here is in excess of over �100 per

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week. This rise is very alarming. We are struggling for a business

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with less people on the streets due to the recession. Consumers, to

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know all about the recession. Domestic customers will also be

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paying more. The typical household would see their annual bill

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increase by �92. I cannot believe the increase now today, I have just

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heard, we will have to cut back and make sure we switch more off at

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night and even during the day, things we do not need. Electricity,

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which now has around 50,000 customers, is also increasing its

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prices. It will continue to try to take market share by offering

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discounts. Northern Ireland simply cannot escape the sharp rise in

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power generation costs. We last changed our prices in 2009, since

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then the cost of wholesale fuel has gone up by 60 per cent. We have no

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other choice but to increase our prices are which will add about

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�1.77 to the typical customer's bill per week. The Consumer Council

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says higher electricity prices will put another 52,000 households here

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in two fuel poverty. The price increase will leave consumers here

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paying about five per cent more for electricity than their counterparts

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in Scotland, but still 10 per cent less than their counterparts in the

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republic. We have a spokesman from the electricity regulator, can

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anything be done to help us believe us of this electricity price

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burden? Unfortunately this increase is unavoidable. We have scrutinised

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the proposals extensively and got it down to 18 per cent. We have

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seen similar rises in Ireland and the rest of the UK over the last 12

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months. If you opened the competition up to even more

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suppliers, would that make any difference? It would. We already

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have alternatives. Some offer a substantial discount. We are

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expecting more into the market later in the year. So the prices

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will come down? It is possible. countries like France there is as

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social tariffs. Down south, pensioners do not have to pay as

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much. Is that something that you as a utility regulator should be

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imposing? That is a decision that would rest with the Northern

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Ireland executive. One of the things you have to remember is that

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it is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. The bell still has to be

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paid by consumers. - D Bell. -- the bill. We suffer from an economy of

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scale. The situation has improved recently and in the years ahead

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becoming part of a broader regional market in Europe will improve

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things further. That means more into connectors on this island and

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Between the islands. A speeding driver who knocked down and killed

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a teenage girl will now go to jail. He was originally given a suspended

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sentence but back in court today following another offence he was

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sent to prison for 18 months. girl was 18 when she died. She was

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coming home from a wedding four years ago. As she walked along this

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road she was hit by a car and thrown through the air. She landed

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50 metres away and died at the scene. The car was driven by Martin

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McDonnell from East Belfast. At his trial he pleaded guilty to causing

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death by dangerous driving and was given an 18 month suspended jail

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sentence. The family of the victim were outraged. When he said 18

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months I got there was no way he was going to see suspended. When he

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did say that I was absolutely shocked. He admitted what he had

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done, he should have got the maximum sentence, I think. Within

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idea of getting the 18 month suspended sentence he was a

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passenger in a stolen car which smashed into a minibus. He was

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convicted of aggravated vehicle theft, causing injury and

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obstructing police. He was sentenced to five months and that

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resulted in his 18 months suspended sentence becoming a jail sentence.

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The judge said there was no doubt that what he did was a flagrant

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breach of the sentence imposed. He said any breach would lead to the

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implementation of the sentence. Today, the family of the dead girl

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saved although it is good, sentences have to be longer.

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would actually have felt a lot better if the 18 months had been at

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least three years. We will move on but a Dell will always be there

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with us. -- Adelle. McDonnell was due to be released in five months'

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time but instead he will only be a fortnight into this 18 month

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sentence. GCSE results have been revealed and while overall the

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percentage of passes remains the same, there are fewer higher grades.

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Those with learning difficulties have their success measured in a

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different way. Some were delighted at getting better than expected

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results and some were still working out the implication of their grades,

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but at least the waiting was over. This school has a learning support

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unit for pupils with special needs. They are not expected to be high-

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fliers, but their results are still important. As long as she is happy.

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How hard did you have to work? Really hard, I just wanted to get

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as good as everyone else. This girl has done so well she wants to stay

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on at school. I want to do media, religion and I have not even

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thought of a third. Some are very modest but I know that the work

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they have put into a chief is incredible. Rules were tightened up

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so that pupils did not get outside help to improve their coursework.

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We were not being told anything, it means the result is 100 per cent

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years. Change could be on the way as the Department of Education is

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considering scrapping the modular system. The downside is that they

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are perhaps not mature enough to realise this is their GCSE. They

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are continually being tested and the importance of that then can

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slide. It does promote a reset culture. These students like that

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style. It is so much easier to do. You can try each time and if you

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feel you can do better, you have that chance to try. GCSEs are not

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the final chapter in education but it is important to get at least the

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basic qualification. Parents are still the number one influence on

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young people at this stage. It is decision time for the 72 girls who

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got their GCSE results here today. Some will decide to stay on at this

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school, others will decide their future lies in further education or

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the local grammar school. They understand that the only way to get

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a decent career in the future is to start with good qualifications. You

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have got your grades, what next? Is there anything GCSE students could

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start doing now to further their employment prospects? Your

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organisation tries to develop entrepreneurial skills in 15 and 16

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year-olds, how does that work? are trying to bring in a new

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generation of entrepreneurs. Kids get an opportunity to learn and

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develop strong business skills. are always told Northern Ireland is

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too heavily dependent on public sector jobs, how important are

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It is very important. I think we can get the children to get more

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involved in-company programmes. It will help them in all walks of life.

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Are they real companies? Absolutely. We can see some of the example

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continue the good work. For young people wanting to go to university,

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tuition fees are a factor. We have discovered that how much you pay

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could depend on where you live if a proposal passes through Stormont.

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Similar moves in Scotland are being challenged under European

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legislation. Here is our correspondent. We do not need to

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consult on the issue of student fee hikes. These hikes are several

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thousands of pounds. They are categorically ruling them out.

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Promises in the heat of an election. This party was not alone pulls dot

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many parties pledged tuition fees would not increase above inflation.

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That means fees would be kept at just above �3,000. But finding the

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money is just one issue facing politicians. We have a problem.

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English universities have said that their fees are going to be about

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�9,000. It looks like we are determined to keep lower than that.

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About �3,000. We could get a lot of students from England and Wales. To

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prevent that from happening and raise extra money, universities are

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allowed to increase fees for Great Britain's students. Did legislation

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being drafted would force students from the rest of the UK to pay a

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lot more. People outside the European Union would pay the same

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as Northern Ireland students. right that somebody from Doncaster

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pays �9,000 and someone from Dublin �3,000? This is about fairness.

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Londoner that studied at Queen's certainly thinks it is very unfair.

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I would have to reconsider my university choice because of things

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like maintenance and transport and flying back and forth from home and

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be tuition fees. It would not have been feasible for me to come to

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Queen's. This teenager lives here but said it would not help him

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escape higher fees. I cannot do my calls in Northern Ireland. I had to

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travel to England. The cost to travel there is around �1,000 plus

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all the other things that I bring with me. Then at the student fees

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which could get up to �9,000 and then accommodation. I could come

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out over three years with about �20,000 in debt. The minister

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responsible for universities was not available to talk about the

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proposals but is clearly under pressure from students over fees.

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What we would like to see is all students in Northern Ireland being

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treated equally. I am disappointed by the cuts being posed in

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Westminster. We want the Minister to come forward and make an

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attractive offer for people's to study in Northern Ireland and

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protect students. Stormont ministers will meet here on

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September 8th after the summer recess. It is not clear what is on

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the agenda but it is clear they cannot put this issue of much

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Still to come on the programme: Celebrating culture in stained

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glass. Nationalists say they want their own window at Belfast City

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Hall. And the last time they played, history was made, but how did

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Ireland's cricketers do today The British Medical Association

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which represents doctors said it is crucial that people that review

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social care talk to people that work on the front line. This latest

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review will see a panel of experts advising and challenging how

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services should be changed. But as we report, there is concern that

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the time frame of just 12 weeks is far too short. This review is just

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the latest episode in the local health drama. Experts have been

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appointed and their remit is to find out how care is delivered. But

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the final report will be much later. B team of five experts will be led

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by John Compton, Chief Executive of the Social Care Board and will

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include this professor from London. I would emphasise that this is not

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about money. People think this is about cards but it is really not.

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It is about what we can deliver. I want to have a public debate about

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what we can deliver. The review will look at potentially closing

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hospitals and amalgamating services and hospital sites and developing

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the role of care in the community. Most importantly, the public will

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need to be flexible and supportive. This has been one of the most

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divisive issues for the Stormont government. But we have had

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universal support in Northern Ireland. This review will be a

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waste of time and money if we do not have the political

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determination to carry through the recommended changes. Today's

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meeting heard that such a mammoth task will be completed in just 12

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weeks. People on the front line are asking it that time is enough.

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does seem to be a short consultation period. How do they

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intend to consult with all the groups in that short time? We will

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be asking for details as to how the consultation will be managed.

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minister became one of the third casualties of change when back in

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20108 lost the Accident and Emergency department here. -- back

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in 2010 they lost. But how much say what the public have in the

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process? How much are the experts prepared to listen? Councillors in

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Castle rear are being presented with a report about how a council

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contract was awarded to the former lover of Iris Robinson. The

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consultants were asked to investigate the role of councillors

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directly involved in the leasing of the Lock Keepers Inn to Kirk

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McCambley. Here is our correspondent had Castlereagh

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Borough Council. Remind us why this report was necessary. This

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investigation was set up after a BBC Spotlight programme back in

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2010. Iris Robinson helped her then teenage lover open a cafe with

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money from two developers. The programme alleged that as a

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counsellor, she had not declared their interests at a beating when

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the council agreed to award the least. The council asked the

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consultants Deloitte to investigate. Then the council said a report

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concluded there was not any evidence of financial loss to the

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council. The council said they also concluded that there was not any

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impropriety from council officers or members directly involved in the

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awarding of the police. The Act was based on a draft report earlier and

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we hope now to get the full report. What will happen next? There will

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be a private presentation by Deloitte and that will be private

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and we will not have any press and public in that session. They will

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run through that report and after that session, the report will be

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released to the public. If you would like to get in touch with us,

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would like to get in touch with us, Belfast City Hall has invited

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submissions for a new stained glass window depicting Irish myths and

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legends. The funding is more than �20,000 and will be to displayed in

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public. Some people regard it as any imbalance with regard to what

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is actually displayed. -- an imbalance. We can see this one

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about the Royal Ulster Constabulary. It is in line with Unionist

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tradition in Belfast. This is connected with the British Army and

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the Association of the City hall. But this window he will be replaced

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by a new stained glass window which will depict the Irish mythology.

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This is part of the City Hall and has been over a decade. The story

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has been told from one particular perspective. People would argue it

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is fairly upper-class and male- dominated. What we are trying to do

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is bring the additional elements to dad. Whether you are Irish, British

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or wherever, you can come into this place and experience it properly.

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The programme has been agreed by everybody. We are making certain

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that everybody gets the right experience. It will cost about

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�20,000. Is that money well spent in the current economic climate?

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The Minister will pay 75 % and the council will pay the rest. It is

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one of several identical windows in the City Hall. It will be moved

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elsewhere because of its historical significance. When the design gets

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the go-ahead, the Irish mythology window should be installed

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alongside its contemporaries by Not even the weather could help

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Ireland's cricketers in Dublin. They were beaten by England in

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their one-day international by 11 runs. The home team's hopes of

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causing a big upset were dampened. This is what you call Irish

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cricket's summit in Dublin. It was your average day of breeze blocks,

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arm Brothers, tent pegs and a lot of sitting about. There were

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several rain interruptions and we wanted it the match would finish at

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all. But it did clear up and we did get some memorable cricket. This

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play will remember the day he caught and bowled England's Eoin

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Morgan. England were bowled out for 201 in 42 overs. The home team had

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a manageable target on paper. But the delays meant the target was

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revised to one and and 29. Kevin O'Brien, the World Cup hero against

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England in Bangalore had his supporters raising a glass. -- one

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had and 29. Eight came up short and England won by 11 runs. It was a

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bit frustrating coming off for rain and it was a bit disappointing. It

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was a very slow day but we gave it a crack. But the one consolation,

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an Irish man was delegated as man of the match but he was playing for

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Dreadful. Terrible conditions. Another Irish team is getting ready

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to play England on Saturday. Thousands of rugby supporters

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turned up at the Aviva Stadium to watch Ireland prepare for their

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warm-up match against England before the World Cup. It will be

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the first international for Stephen Ferris for more than a year. Andrew

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Trimble keeps his place on the wing. Captain Brian O'Driscoll is being

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rested but Ireland are determined to have the perfect World Cup send

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off. We need to focus on this one game. We need to put in a big

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performance for ourselves and the supporters before we get to New

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Zealand. We want a good long will run into the first game in the

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World Cup and we can start focusing. Good luck to them. As we head into

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that bank holiday weekend, what can that bank holiday weekend, what can

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we expect? The end of the summer holidays. Now the weather. It is a

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bit of a mixed bag. It is better looking than today. Many of us got

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showers. We had heavy downpours and thunder. Not the best but on the

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positive side, we have got a fantastic pictures in the past 24

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hours. Thank you to everybody for sending these. This was taken last

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night. It is quite turbulent in the West, or it was yesterday after

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being. -- yesterday. It is not too late to catch some showers. But

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they will gradually ease back to the coast tonight. Temperatures

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getting back to five or six degrees. Wind light and a chance of mist.

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Another day of sunny spells and showers. But the showers tomorrow

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should not be as widespread as today. A bit of mist but generally

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bright and dry. Getting better by lunchtime. Showers becoming more

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frequent in these areas. But they will not be quite as intense as

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yesterday. Any thunder will be the exception and not the rule. We will

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get a bit of sunshine Bull. Temperatures leapt into about 18

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degrees. That will gradually disappear tomorrow. The all

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important bank holiday weekend and the showers will gradually

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disappear. Generally a lot of dry conditions on Saturday, Sunday and

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Monday. On Sunday in particular, quite windy. That will be evident

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on the north coast. Bear that in mind if you are heading north this

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The headlines and some small business owners have said increased

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electricity costs could force some people to shut down. It follows the

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