:00:16. > :00:21.Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Noel Thompson and Sarah
:00:21. > :00:24.Travers. The headlines this Tuesday evening:
:00:24. > :00:28.Another day, another price hike - I'll be reporting on the ever
:00:28. > :00:31.spiralling cost of energy here. Alert, active and independent - a
:00:31. > :00:34.family tells a court about the mother who was murdered on
:00:34. > :00:39.Christmas Day. Can teach, want to teach - but
:00:39. > :00:43.where are the jobs? Ploughing their furrow - the Irish
:00:43. > :00:46.Presidential hopefuls hit the campaign trail.
:00:46. > :00:50.Going for gold - the Belfast man trying to become Northern Ireland's
:00:50. > :01:00.first World Amateur Boxing champion. A mainly dry night, but there could
:01:00. > :01:01.
:01:01. > :01:04.be a few inside out umbrellas at Yet another hike in energy prices
:01:04. > :01:09.is about to hit - this time affecting gas customers in the
:01:09. > :01:15.Greater Belfast area. The ending of Firmus Energy's discount period
:01:15. > :01:21.will mean an increase of more than a third. Let's join our consumer
:01:21. > :01:24.correspondent, Martin Cassidy. With across the board rises in fuel
:01:24. > :01:28.prices, consumers face a bleak economic winter. The bad news
:01:28. > :01:33.started back in May when Phoenix gas went up by 39%. But that was
:01:33. > :01:37.only the start. Before August was out, Power NI, formerly known as
:01:37. > :01:39.NIE Energy, announced that the cost of electricity would go up by 18.6%.
:01:39. > :01:49.Rival electricity supplier Airtricity said it had little
:01:49. > :01:50.
:01:50. > :01:53.option but to follow the move. Then came another gas increase. This
:01:53. > :02:01.time it was Firmus putting up prices in towns outside Belfast by
:02:01. > :02:09.28.4%. And now comes the final gas price hike in the current round, a
:02:09. > :02:14.35 % increase by Firmus in the Greater Belfast market. Even a bag
:02:14. > :02:22.of coal has become more expensive. It will go up by between 4% and 10%
:02:22. > :02:25.this month. If you rely on oil to heat your home, prices have also
:02:25. > :02:34.risen over the summer from around �490 for a 900 litre fill to about
:02:34. > :02:44.�525. The fear is that increasing winter demand will push costs even
:02:44. > :02:48.
:02:48. > :02:54.higher. Car Northern Ireland consumers particularly badly hit
:02:55. > :03:00.when it comes to energy bills? Certainly in the last six months.
:03:00. > :03:06.There had been continuous increases come up to 40 %. In Northern
:03:06. > :03:11.Ireland be pay 40 % more than on the mainland over a year. Fuel
:03:11. > :03:15.poverty is something we should talk about a lot. Presumably higher
:03:15. > :03:20.energy prices been a more households will be in trouble.
:03:20. > :03:25.before the price increases were very concerned about fuel poverty
:03:25. > :03:31.in Northern Ireland, which stands at about 44 %. Now the fear is
:03:31. > :03:36.moving into the winter that more people will be struggling. Will
:03:36. > :03:40.there be more money you'd made available for winter payments?
:03:40. > :03:46.would be very clear that the support in terms of the winter fuel
:03:46. > :03:53.payment eats to be maintained at. In terms of how far that goes, with
:03:53. > :03:59.increases up to 40 %, it is soon swallowed up. We would also be
:03:59. > :04:03.concerned around to other poor households. There is a lot for
:04:03. > :04:10.local politicians to get their teeth into. I think there is a lot
:04:10. > :04:19.to be done. Consumers can look at comparison websites Hummel or maybe
:04:19. > :04:23.switch to gas. The children of a Newry pensioner
:04:23. > :04:27.have been telling a court about the effect her murder has had on their
:04:27. > :04:31.family. 81-year-old Maura Rankin was found dead at her home on the
:04:31. > :04:40.Dublin Road on Christmas Day in 2008. Mrs Rankin's neighbour Karen
:04:40. > :04:45.Walsh is accused of her killing. Will Leitch was in the court.
:04:45. > :04:53.Then active and alert woman, a widow, grandmother who was full of
:04:53. > :04:58.fun. This was the picture painted of the family of Maura Rankin. She
:04:58. > :05:03.lived for her family, but she had been ill and they were diligent in
:05:03. > :05:12.visiting her. On Christmas Day 2000 in the it she was found dead in an
:05:12. > :05:17.upstairs bedroom in Newry. The family told the police that there
:05:17. > :05:21.were things in a house that were wrong. She always kept to a
:05:21. > :05:29.cordless phone the third, but it was found a long way from her body.
:05:29. > :05:32.Her personal effects had been moved. Chocolate was lying on the floor.
:05:32. > :05:38.Accused of for murder is Karen Walsh, a neighbour, seen here in
:05:38. > :05:44.the white coat. The prosecution had said they had a witness who saw her
:05:45. > :05:48.early that morning sitting on a low wall outside Maura Rankin's home at
:05:48. > :05:53.half past seven. Today her neighbour, Paul Rafferty, explain
:05:53. > :06:03.what he had seen to be caught. Although she was sure she had seen
:06:03. > :06:08.
:06:08. > :06:12.a woman in a red top, he could not be sure it was Karen Walsh. The son
:06:12. > :06:22.of Maura Rankin told the court that there were connections between
:06:22. > :06:24.
:06:25. > :06:28.Karen Walsh and Maura Rankin. The case is expected to last several
:06:28. > :06:31.more weeks. The super-grass trial in Belfast
:06:31. > :06:34.was adjourned today because one of the key witnesses was deemed unfit
:06:34. > :06:37.to give evidence. When Robert Stewart took the stand this morning
:06:37. > :06:42.he said he felt unwell, had a severe headache and had not been
:06:42. > :06:45.sleeping. After he was examined by a doctor, the judge adjourned the
:06:45. > :06:50.hearing until tomorrow morning. Stewart is testifying against 14
:06:50. > :06:54.men, including the alleged former UVF commander Mark Haddock. Nine of
:06:54. > :06:58.them are accused of the murder of UDA man Tommy English.
:06:58. > :07:01.It has been a big day for the Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd, who has found
:07:01. > :07:03.himself promoted to Deputy First Minister while Martin McGuinness is
:07:04. > :07:12.on the Presidential campaign trail. Our political reporter Stephen
:07:12. > :07:17.Walker has been finding out more about the man in the big picture.
:07:17. > :07:21.Upper Bann is home to John O'Dowd. This restaurant is what the Deputy
:07:21. > :07:31.First Minister worked for four he became a full-time politician. He
:07:31. > :07:38.was head chef and trained this man. John was very enthusiastic about
:07:38. > :07:44.his job, very professional. It doesn't surprise me that he is good
:07:44. > :07:54.at his job now. He was not afraid to share DEC cheek! You get you in
:07:54. > :08:01.line. John O'Dowd was appointed Education Minister this year. He
:08:01. > :08:05.became an MLA in 2003 and also served on Craigavon Borough Council.
:08:05. > :08:15.He is a very personable, professional politician, can
:08:15. > :08:15.
:08:15. > :08:21.identify with people. His rise has been me to Roderick - - has been a
:08:21. > :08:28.meteoric one. Even his rivals at Stormont say he is a shrewd
:08:28. > :08:32.operator. He is used by Sinn Fein as their troubleshooter. Any time
:08:32. > :08:42.there is a break in the lines, he will be dropped in to sort things
:08:42. > :08:42.
:08:42. > :08:46.out. He can certainly put a point of view across. He is articulate.
:08:46. > :08:51.For John O'Dowd this marks a remarkable year. From four months
:08:51. > :08:59.ago he was seen as an MLA to watch, now he has to ministerial jobs add
:08:59. > :09:05.to his CV. Is this harder than being a chef? Asked me get in six
:09:05. > :09:10.weeks. There is many a time when I'm standing in the assembly or in
:09:10. > :09:16.front of the committee when I took figure should be back in front of
:09:16. > :09:20.the kitchen. John O'Dowd will work closely with Peter Robinson in go
:09:20. > :09:27.weeks ahead. Next month's when the votes of the Irish presidential
:09:27. > :09:33.election are counted, we will see if Martin McGuinness's departure
:09:33. > :09:37.will be temporary or permanent and if the man from Upper Bann will be
:09:37. > :09:39.his replacement for good. Later in the programme we will
:09:39. > :09:41.catch up with Irish Presidential hopeful Martin McGuinness and other
:09:41. > :09:44.candidates on their first full day of canvassing.
:09:44. > :09:47.A bank in County Fermanagh was evacuated this morning after staff
:09:48. > :09:50.reported a strong smell of fumes. Staff were told to leave the Ulster
:09:50. > :09:53.Bank branch in Lisnaskea and advised to attend a local health
:09:53. > :09:56.centre. The Fire and Rescue Service helped to ventilate the premises on
:09:56. > :09:59.Main Street. A heating engineer was then called in to investigate the
:09:59. > :10:04.problem. Ulster Bank says the branch was temporarily closed as a
:10:04. > :10:07.precaution, but re-opened this afternoon. The plight of student
:10:07. > :10:10.teachers who can't get a job was debated at the Assembly this
:10:10. > :10:15.afternoon. Members were told that up to 600 people go into teacher
:10:15. > :10:18.training each year, but only 5% find work in our schools. The DUP
:10:18. > :10:26.describe it as a huge waste of Government resources, as Mervyn
:10:26. > :10:30.Jess reports. Though writing could be on the wall
:10:30. > :10:36.for some teacher training courses. It seems that we have too many
:10:36. > :10:40.teachers but not enough classes. It has been claimed that up to 600
:10:40. > :10:48.graduates each year with a new hope of finding work. The issue was
:10:48. > :10:55.debated in the assembly. Why are we continually training graduate
:10:55. > :10:59.teachers for jobs that are to bear? That is a huge waste of government
:10:59. > :11:03.resources and something which I would appeal to the minister to
:11:03. > :11:08.look into and get a much closer relationship between supply and
:11:08. > :11:14.demand in that field. Angelina qualified as a teacher several
:11:14. > :11:23.years ago. She has - - has only had one year's full employment since
:11:23. > :11:30.then and always travels with her CV at the ready. I always had five CV
:11:30. > :11:34.in my handbag. Out of all the schools that I apply it, I think
:11:34. > :11:43.they had for schools that actually contacted me to do some substitute
:11:43. > :11:48.work. Last year in September I had two days. Come Christmas time I was
:11:48. > :11:55.pulling my hair right. Some out-of- work teachers are prepared to go to
:11:55. > :12:03.greater lengths to find work. have thought about emigrating.
:12:03. > :12:08.There are more opportunities in Australia and New Zealand. It is
:12:08. > :12:14.such an upheaval, to take yourself and your family and leave your
:12:14. > :12:21.friends behind. There is the financial situation as well. You
:12:21. > :12:25.would need thousands of pounds to do such a thing. The DUP claimed
:12:25. > :12:29.there are lessons to be learnt on capacity, and the need to be
:12:29. > :12:32.learned fast. Stay with us. Still to come on the
:12:32. > :12:36.programme: Jumping for joy! The Belfast school with a novel
:12:36. > :12:42.approach to keeping out of debt. The 16-year-old who is making a big
:12:42. > :12:45.splash in an out of the pool. The ploughing championships in
:12:45. > :12:47.County Kildare were a hotbed of political activity today as Irish
:12:47. > :12:50.presidential hopefuls mingled with the masses. It marked Martin
:12:50. > :12:54.McGuinness' first full day of campaigning. Fianna Fail's decision
:12:54. > :12:57.not to support any candidate in the race has made it difficult for Dana
:12:57. > :13:07.and David Norris to get on the ballot paper. Julie Kirby sent this
:13:07. > :13:13.
:13:13. > :13:19.Eight decades ago, the first ploughing contest was held close to
:13:19. > :13:27.this farm. But it was a contest of a different kind: The job of
:13:27. > :13:37.president. I will miss it terribly. And I will miss people. I miss the
:13:37. > :13:39.
:13:39. > :13:45.people and the engagement with people. The newest entrant to the
:13:45. > :13:50.race was relishing the opportunity to meet and greet. It has surpassed
:13:50. > :13:57.my expectations. I am looking forward to being in every county in
:13:57. > :14:03.Ireland, and this will be an All Ireland Campaign. I was a mite own
:14:03. > :14:11.constituency last night, a huge number of people turned out. -- I
:14:11. > :14:17.was in my own. All five presidential candidates were here,
:14:17. > :14:21.and for confident of their campaign strategy. Are haven't lost an
:14:21. > :14:25.election in 14 straight elections. And I do that by convincing them
:14:25. > :14:29.that I have the right leader. man leading the opinion polls was
:14:29. > :14:38.not a talking down his chance of leader of a stop I believe, in this
:14:38. > :14:47.campaign, when the time comes in October, 2027, the Irish people
:14:47. > :14:51.will make a good decision. This is already a ground bait -- ground-
:14:51. > :14:59.breaking presidential campaign. Which candidates return at next he
:14:59. > :15:02.is anyone's guess. -- at next year's.
:15:02. > :15:05.Animal welfare experts gathered at Stormont this morning to unveil a
:15:05. > :15:07.new strategy for dealing with the growing problem of badger
:15:07. > :15:09.persecution here. The Environment Minister and MLAs were joined by
:15:09. > :15:12.representatives from the police and various animal charities. They
:15:12. > :15:14.heard how badgers here have been subjected to baiting, fighting with
:15:14. > :15:17.dogs, illegal snaring, poisoning and shooting. The new strategy,
:15:17. > :15:20.which is known as Operation Meles, aims to increase public awareness
:15:20. > :15:30.of the problem and persuade people to come forward with information
:15:30. > :15:40.
:15:40. > :15:43.about badger-related crime. Protection of wildlife is important
:15:43. > :15:46.of making a statement about our society.
:15:46. > :15:48.The Foyle Ferry from Magilligan to Greencastle is facing another
:15:49. > :15:51.funding crisis. The company which runs the service says it can't
:15:52. > :15:57.afford to keep going without an injection of cash and it will
:15:57. > :16:02.suspend the ferry from the first Sunday in October.
:16:02. > :16:08.The sun may be shining on the fall ferry service, but a cloud is
:16:08. > :16:12.hanging over its future. In we were to close at the end of August, we
:16:12. > :16:18.run on an extra month, it just because of the good relations we
:16:18. > :16:26.have with the customers. We are losing money. The ferry cost far
:16:26. > :16:31.�0.5 million to set up. It has been running since 2002. This 60 mile
:16:31. > :16:41.journey around the Lock became a 16th minute trip across it. It was
:16:41. > :16:45.meant to encourage tourists. But that was in the boom times. The
:16:45. > :16:54.economy has changed, and some say that means how the ferry is funded
:16:54. > :17:00.should change a stop we have got more money here just recently.
:17:00. > :17:09.have a bit of an issue about public funding being spent. I don't think
:17:09. > :17:14.it was ever to stand on its own two feet. I am hoping that both
:17:14. > :17:20.governments, both north and south, take on board our request, and
:17:20. > :17:24.secured funding for this ferry. Passengers were surprised by the
:17:24. > :17:34.news. It is a great shame. We have come over from bally Castle, and
:17:34. > :17:44.
:17:44. > :17:47.decided to come down this way. service will stop on a Sunday, at
:17:47. > :17:52.second October. The owners hope it will restart next spring, if the
:17:52. > :17:54.money is available. We're all familiar with cutbacks in
:17:54. > :17:58.education. With budgets becoming ever tighter, many of our schools
:17:58. > :18:01.are having to come up with new ways to raise badly-needed funds to keep
:18:01. > :18:04.them going. But in west Belfast, one school is breaking new ground
:18:04. > :18:14.in its efforts to draw in extra money. It's aiming to become an
:18:14. > :18:15.
:18:15. > :18:20.entertainment venue. It is now time, and passed home
:18:20. > :18:25.time the students to study here. But as you can see, the lights are
:18:25. > :18:32.on and the doors are firmly open to the local community, that is. The
:18:32. > :18:39.new sports complex plays host to a range of classes including ballet.
:18:39. > :18:49.We love it here. We have got such a lot of space. It is clean and well
:18:49. > :18:59.looked after. It is might gold's most favourite venue for their
:18:59. > :18:59.
:18:59. > :19:06.ballet classes. -- might girl's. There is also a gem of. My daughter
:19:06. > :19:11.has been here trampoline in. It is lively. There are always people
:19:11. > :19:15.here. It is absolutely brilliant. Trampolining is a strong fixture in
:19:15. > :19:21.the college, with competitors from across Northern Ireland choosing to
:19:21. > :19:26.train here. So is this new facility opened, it has been the focus for
:19:26. > :19:30.sports enthusiasts. With concerts already in the bag, and a comedy
:19:30. > :19:38.night, it is hoped that it will become an entertainment venue in
:19:38. > :19:43.west Belfast. The money pays for books. We lose money from the
:19:43. > :19:50.education department. Every department loses money, so this
:19:50. > :19:55.helps us put money back. It is it now hope to future plans
:19:55. > :19:59.all held the score reached new heights.
:19:59. > :20:02.A comedy club at school? That is a good idea!
:20:02. > :20:07.Can a boxer from the Antrim Road in Belfast set the world alight in
:20:07. > :20:10.Azerbaijan? Stephen Watson is here to tell us.
:20:11. > :20:13.From Belfast to Baku in pursuit of a sporting dream. Boxer Paddy
:20:14. > :20:19.Barnes from the Holy Family Club in Belfast arrives in Azerbaijan with
:20:19. > :20:22.the rest of the Ireland team tomorrow. He says he's in the shape
:20:22. > :20:30.of his life and is determined to bring back Belfast's first ever
:20:30. > :20:39.gold medal from the World Amateur Championships. Less than two months
:20:39. > :20:49.ago, he was nursing a wrist injury. Now, fully recovered, he aims to go
:20:49. > :20:49.
:20:49. > :20:54.where no want from these shores has gone before. I want to be the first
:20:54. > :21:02.person ever from Ireland to win a gold at the World Championships.
:21:02. > :21:12.That would be something. I you confident? Death and then leave!
:21:12. > :21:22.-- definitely! He has already backed bronze.
:21:22. > :21:23.
:21:23. > :21:31.unreal. That training can benefit Germany
:21:31. > :21:34.ended today. Tomorrow, he will arrive in Azerbaijan.
:21:34. > :21:38.Ireland rugby coach Declan Kidney would have had a keen eye on this
:21:38. > :21:41.morning's Pool C game at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Italy and
:21:41. > :21:46.Russia, Ireland's next two opponents, clashed. It finished in
:21:46. > :21:49.a comfortable 53-17 victory for the Italians. Ireland will play Russia
:21:49. > :21:56.on Sunday morning, but with the Italians now looming large for that
:21:56. > :22:00.final Pool game a week later. Sycerika McMahon is one of our most
:22:00. > :22:02.promising young sportswomen. The 16-year-old swimmer has recently
:22:02. > :22:07.returned from the Commonwealth Youth Games with five medals, and
:22:07. > :22:11.is bidding to make it to the Olympics next year. She's doing it
:22:11. > :22:20.all while juggling schoolwork. Thomas Kane had to be up very early
:22:20. > :22:25.in the morning to catch up with her. This is where you will find
:22:25. > :22:33.Sycerika McMahon at every morning. She gets up at 4:30am, then travels
:22:33. > :22:40.from her home to Belfast, and trains from 6am until 8pm. It is
:22:40. > :22:45.two and hours every day, Monday- Friday. It is that not too bad,
:22:45. > :22:52.really. Usually, I can manage things. When it comes up to exam
:22:52. > :22:57.time, however, it can become a hectic. Her name is of Indian
:22:57. > :23:00.origin and means little flame. She has already competed in the semi-
:23:00. > :23:07.finals of the senior world championships, and has continued to
:23:07. > :23:12.win medals in her age group. Her next goal is London 2012. I would
:23:12. > :23:17.love to go for the experience. My coach would love me to be there as
:23:17. > :23:22.well, and he thinks I can do it. you don't have a passion for the
:23:22. > :23:27.sport, you will not make it. You have to have the passion and desire
:23:27. > :23:34.and wealth to be better, and that's what drives me. When I have got a
:23:34. > :23:40.swimmer with potential like Sycerika McMahon, I am enthused.
:23:40. > :23:44.Sycerika McMahon is hoping to go to university in America with a
:23:45. > :23:48.swimming scholarship. But in the short term, after intensive two our
:23:48. > :23:55.training, it is breakfast in the car and then off to school. She
:23:55. > :23:58.will be in bed by 8:30pm, ready to do it all again tomorrow.
:23:58. > :24:01.Finally, Ireland's cricketers have beaten Canada for the second day
:24:01. > :24:11.running in a 50 over one-day international. Today the winning
:24:11. > :24:28.
:24:28. > :24:34.It isn't the most settled out look over the next few days. Today has
:24:34. > :24:39.been one of the better ones. Still a few showers following in the wake
:24:39. > :24:44.of yesterday evening's rain. Still, a few of those showers scattered
:24:44. > :24:50.around, mainly towards the West. They will tend to ease away. The
:24:50. > :24:58.many of us, not a bad evening. A little bit breezy already in place
:24:58. > :25:05.is. That breeze will be a fixture tonight. For most of us, it is a
:25:05. > :25:11.dry and breezy night. Lows settling between 8-ten degrees. It means we
:25:11. > :25:17.are in for a wet and windy spell tomorrow. At some stage during the
:25:17. > :25:27.morning, a few of us could see heavy passers of rain. Not very
:25:27. > :25:32.nice on the roads. -- heavy pulses. Parts of the South East may not see
:25:32. > :25:37.the rain arriving probably until the end of the rush hour, but we
:25:37. > :25:42.can see those heavy pulses of rain starting to arrive towards the
:25:42. > :25:47.north coast. They will sink their way towards South. That is when are
:25:47. > :25:51.we could see rumbles of thunder. It could take until around lunchtime
:25:51. > :26:01.before the rain at players away from County Down, but once it does
:26:01. > :26:03.
:26:03. > :26:07.move away, it will brighten up. -- the rain clears away. At least it
:26:07. > :26:17.is improving for the second half of the devil stop the rain moves away
:26:17. > :26:21.
:26:21. > :26:25.and a few rays of sunshine comes through. -- second half of the day..
:26:25. > :26:30.The cloud will start to increase later tomorrow night, and that is a
:26:30. > :26:40.sign of a damp weather on Thursday. Hopefully that batch of Senedd
:26:40. > :26:49.
:26:49. > :26:51.fairly light and clearing away. -- Finally, a reminder of the stories
:26:51. > :26:54.making the headlines: Gas company Firmus has announced
:26:54. > :26:57.that prices for its customers in Greater Belfast will go up by 35%.
:26:57. > :27:00.Members of the Rankin family have been telling a court about their
:27:00. > :27:02.active and independent mother who was founded murdered on Christmas
:27:02. > :27:06.Day 2008. Experts at the International
:27:06. > :27:14.Monetary Fund warn the world's economy is at risk of a double dip