23/12/2011 BBC Newsline


23/12/2011

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 23/12/2011. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline, with Donna Traynor and Noel

:00:12.:00:22.
:00:22.:00:22.

Thompson. The headlines this Friday evening:

:00:22.:00:27.

A proposed new golf course on the causeway coast is dividing opinion.

:00:27.:00:31.

Staff shortages could be affecting prosecutions for waste crime.

:00:31.:00:33.

The nightmare on Marlborough Terrace. Residents are finally

:00:33.:00:36.

getting some festive cheer. After the floods which blighted

:00:36.:00:41.

their lives, we hear how one Tyrone family are coping with Christmas.

:00:41.:00:44.

Michael O'Neill is the man the IFA want as the new Northern Ireland

:00:44.:00:49.

manager, but will he be in place before the New Year?

:00:49.:00:53.

It might not be a white one but it could be the mildest. I'll have the

:00:53.:00:56.

Christmas forecast. We will have a Christmas carol

:00:56.:00:59.

tonight from the pupils of St Malachy's Primary in Armagh and, as

:00:59.:01:09.
:01:09.:01:11.

you can see, they are joining us A new golf resort beside the

:01:11.:01:14.

Giant's Causeway. There are strong environmental reasons to stop it

:01:14.:01:17.

and strong economic reasons to give it the go-ahead. There is no doubt

:01:17.:01:20.

this planning decision will be a controversial one.

:01:20.:01:23.

It will be made by the Environment Minister by the end of next month.

:01:23.:01:26.

The developer has told an American magazine that he expects Alex

:01:26.:01:29.

Attwood will approve his proposal for a hotel and golf course.

:01:29.:01:32.

Nicola Weir tells us what is proposed for the Causeway coast,

:01:32.:01:38.

home to Ireland's biggest tourist attraction.

:01:38.:01:44.

These are the plans for a 120 bedroomed Golf resort and spat

:01:44.:01:48.

close to the giant's Causeway. They have been submitted by an American

:01:48.:01:54.

businessman. He has told a magazine that he expects the development be

:01:54.:01:57.

given the go-ahead. But the National Trust believes the

:01:57.:02:02.

application is inherently and fundamentally wrong. It cites at

:02:02.:02:08.

its main reason, the potential loss of World Heritage Site status. This

:02:08.:02:11.

is the land they want to build on. It is within a three: to

:02:11.:02:16.

protections on around the Giants Causeway. At the moment, an

:02:16.:02:20.

ordinary household are living inside the zone, could not extend

:02:20.:02:25.

their property over and above what they already have. Objectors are

:02:25.:02:29.

wondering why an American businessman can build at major golf

:02:29.:02:34.

resort in the same media. But do local MP says the permit --

:02:34.:02:37.

potential economic benefits far outweigh any arguments against it.

:02:37.:02:42.

He says that it is wrong to call it at the Dell and at the Giants

:02:42.:02:46.

Causeway. He added it was over a mile away from the causeway and

:02:46.:02:50.

would utilise a beautiful countryside at at to its very best.

:02:51.:02:54.

The minister wrote to make a decision this month but a listed

:02:54.:02:58.

wall on the property has led to a delay. Whatever people might say or

:02:58.:03:02.

do between now and then to push be one way or another, I will make the

:03:02.:03:07.

right decision, balancing the environmental, heritage and

:03:07.:03:13.

economic factors in taking into account what will be an important

:03:13.:03:17.

decision for the coast one way or another. The decision on what this

:03:17.:03:25.

you will look like in the future is expected in the new year. -- view.

:03:25.:03:27.

A tougher crackdown on environmental crime is being

:03:27.:03:29.

promised with the hiring of more specialist investigators.

:03:29.:03:32.

For the past thee years, the Government unit which investigates

:03:32.:03:35.

issues like illegal dumping has been running well short of its full

:03:35.:03:42.

complement of staff, as BBC Newsline's Julian O'Neill reports.

:03:42.:03:47.

The crime unit within the Environment Agency has never seemed

:03:48.:03:52.

is this investigation involved cat litter soaked in diesel as part of

:03:52.:03:56.

a fuel laundering scam. But the unit, which also investigates

:03:56.:04:01.

illegal dumping like this waste, buried in for a manner, has been

:04:01.:04:06.

understaffed for several years. I told to a specialist in

:04:06.:04:09.

environmental law, he said the staffing problems had noticeable

:04:09.:04:15.

problems. -- consequences. In terms of the cases we have seen prosecute,

:04:15.:04:19.

there is a distinct lack of enforcement at the bottom end of

:04:19.:04:22.

the scale and also the top end of the scale. The small fly-tipping

:04:22.:04:26.

offences are not being dealt with that all and also, at the same time,

:04:26.:04:30.

there is very few of the big financial cases which involve CDs

:04:30.:04:35.

criminality. The Department of the Environment has written to Stormont,

:04:35.:04:38.

explaining the difficulty. It's his recruitment has been delayed

:04:38.:04:44.

because of serious financial difficulties. As a result, many

:04:44.:04:49.

issues and cases cannot be pursued. And, even after a recruitment drive

:04:49.:04:53.

which is under way, the unit will remain challenged responding to

:04:53.:04:58.

priorities. The unit is responsible to the Department of the

:04:58.:05:02.

environment and should have 41 staff but it is running currently

:05:02.:05:08.

at just 25, with many of the vacancies at senior level. The

:05:08.:05:11.

Department of the Environment told the BBC that the recruitment of

:05:11.:05:15.

specialist additional staff is currently under way. People like

:05:15.:05:20.

financial and criminal investigators. Once completed it

:05:20.:05:24.

will allow the unit to expand its caseload. A living poster in the

:05:24.:05:29.

process of being filled up, at the direction of the minister. There

:05:29.:05:32.

have also been told to encourage courts to take crimes like illegal

:05:32.:05:37.

dumping much more seriously. Two men have been in court on

:05:37.:05:41.

cocaine charges. They were among five people arrested earlier this

:05:41.:05:44.

week in Bangor, Belfast and Coleraine. Will Leitch was in the

:05:44.:05:54.
:05:54.:06:00.

court for BBC Newsline. The two men are brothers. The each

:06:00.:06:04.

faced six charges of possession of Class A and class B drugs with

:06:04.:06:10.

intent and conspiracy to supply. Bail was refused for one and both

:06:10.:06:14.

men were remanded in custody until 3rd January. A detective constable

:06:14.:06:18.

told the court he could connect both the men to a police operation

:06:18.:06:22.

on Wednesday. A part of an ongoing investigation by the organised

:06:22.:06:29.

crime back branch -- the organised crime branch. Cooking with a street

:06:29.:06:39.

value of �120,000 was seized. �11,000 -- �1,100 was seized.

:06:39.:06:44.

Police say they can connect that to unfit and sulphate found at an

:06:44.:06:48.

address in south Belfast worth the same amount. Three other men are

:06:48.:06:52.

due to appear this morning on charges connected will now appear

:06:52.:06:56.

tomorrow, Christmas Eve, after the police failed to present them in

:06:56.:07:02.

time this morning. Still to come on the programme:

:07:02.:07:05.

The police pilot scheme which is fostering good relations with local

:07:05.:07:07.

schoolchildren. And Michael O'Neill will he be the

:07:07.:07:10.

new manager the Northern Ireland football team and will it all

:07:10.:07:19.

There's some festive cheer tonight for residents of Marlborough

:07:19.:07:23.

Terrace in Londonderry. Ten days after the first landslide at the

:07:23.:07:26.

back of their homes, the first phase of work to make the area safe

:07:26.:07:29.

has finished. And, as Kevin Sharkey reports, one structure which just

:07:29.:07:37.

wouldn't give way has finally come down.

:07:37.:07:43.

Teetering on the brink for days. While all around it fell down. Or

:07:43.:07:53.
:07:53.:07:54.

was brought down. This man-made structure, it standing defiant. But

:07:54.:07:59.

what man put up, man brings down. Security of positions the reasons

:07:59.:08:07.

it -- the reason it went up. Close by, the scene of the first

:08:07.:08:14.

landslide. The cars were buried and destroyed by falling earth and

:08:14.:08:22.

stone. Now new stone and lot of that will hold up the ground above.

:08:23.:08:32.
:08:33.:08:33.

-- lots of it. Just little battles now. After two landslides and ten

:08:33.:08:37.

days of anxiety and stress, the people of the street can now look

:08:37.:08:47.
:08:47.:08:49.

forward to a happy Christmas. And all around, happy children.

:08:49.:08:52.

The police in Larne are holding what is called police surgeries at

:08:52.:08:55.

the local high school. They are "get to know you" meetings aimed at

:08:56.:08:58.

developing better relationships with young people. The pilot scheme

:08:58.:09:01.

is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and the police

:09:01.:09:04.

hope it will help the students be more aware of what's going on in

:09:04.:09:06.

the community. Our district journalist Ciara Riddell reports.

:09:06.:09:09.

High-school students chat with a police officer from the

:09:09.:09:13.

neighbourhood policing team. Officers have come to the school to

:09:13.:09:21.

hold a police surgery. It is this type of openness between youngsters

:09:21.:09:26.

and officers that the police are aiming for. I do not want to see,

:09:26.:09:34.

or them to see us, as purely law- enforcement. Bring us more

:09:34.:09:38.

international in by a -- natural environment when they are in school,

:09:38.:09:43.

I want him to see that they are on first name terms with me so that

:09:43.:09:48.

when the back on the streets, socialising, if the ECB officer

:09:48.:09:51.

they can call on them if they are in need of support, if the need

:09:51.:09:58.

advice, or if it is a simple question and then we can put some

:09:58.:10:01.

of those protective measures around him. It is making it more natural

:10:01.:10:05.

for them to engage better with the police officer. Can the police stop

:10:05.:10:11.

and ask students questions if they are on the street? These students

:10:11.:10:15.

are interested in everything from the police as a career to what

:10:15.:10:19.

rights they have out and about on the streets. I think it is good

:10:19.:10:22.

that they can come in and we can have conversations with them and

:10:22.:10:32.
:10:32.:10:33.

ask questions. The police surgeries are held at the school once a month.

:10:33.:10:37.

The neighbourhood police team is hoping to extend them to other

:10:37.:10:47.
:10:47.:10:47.

schools across the borough. You may have noticed that the light

:10:47.:10:52.

are dimmer than normal. In the meantime, we will continue!

:10:52.:10:55.

The weather is better than it was this time last year, but 2011 has

:10:55.:10:58.

had its share of weather drama too. You will remember the floods in

:10:58.:11:00.

October. One of the worst affected places

:11:00.:11:03.

was Beragh in County Tyrone, where 17 families had to leave their

:11:03.:11:06.

houses. Our district journalist Louise Cullen has been back to see

:11:06.:11:12.

how one family has coped. Getting ready for Christmas. It was

:11:12.:11:18.

clearly a very different festive season for this family. We were

:11:18.:11:21.

going to be eating our dinner nearly offer knees, because the

:11:21.:11:26.

kitchen was so small and we had no table. We had to get back home.

:11:26.:11:31.

After the floods in October, work to repair the his -- houses became

:11:31.:11:39.

-- began immediately. She and her daughter had both been in hospital.

:11:39.:11:43.

Asthma brought on by the stress of the second flooding in it two years.

:11:43.:11:49.

I cannot tell you how bad it has been. I thought 2008 was bad, but

:11:49.:11:53.

this really take its toll. I feel I could never go through it again.

:11:53.:11:57.

After her hospitals the, her husband borrowed money from the

:11:57.:12:00.

credit Dean were waiting for the insurance payment, so they could

:12:00.:12:05.

leave their rented accommodation and come home. We only got hour

:12:05.:12:13.

payment in on the Friday and Saturday. People had been very good.

:12:13.:12:17.

They were more than helpful to come into the sewage and we were in.

:12:17.:12:21.

Last month, the Agriculture Minister announced that works had

:12:21.:12:28.

been brought forward. Some comfort for the Red -- residents. I just

:12:28.:12:31.

hope and pray that the rains will not come to the extent that they

:12:31.:12:36.

came before. Until we get security of our flood the wall. The first

:12:37.:12:41.

meeting to approve the flood wall design takes place next month.

:12:41.:12:46.

We're in the problem Leddy diseases -- the preliminary stages. There

:12:46.:12:51.

will be an economic appraisal. love it here. I love my neighbours,

:12:51.:12:56.

my home. That is where the kids have been raised. I feel it is

:12:56.:13:01.

secure. Security mean so much. now, having Christmas at home is

:13:01.:13:09.

BBC News Line has learned that the next manager of the Northern

:13:09.:13:19.
:13:19.:13:20.

Ireland soccer team will be... Well, I will let her sports Correspondent

:13:21.:13:30.

tell you the latest. Bad here. -- thank you. It is not

:13:30.:13:35.

signed and sealed yet, but it appears that Michael O'Neill is the

:13:35.:13:39.

Irish Football Association's choice to become the new manager of

:13:39.:13:42.

Northern Ireland. It is believed that the appointment could be

:13:42.:13:50.

confirmed next week, subject to some details being confirmed.

:13:50.:13:53.

Michael O'Neill was one of three candidates interviewed for the

:13:53.:14:00.

Northern Ireland manager's job. Ian Dury and Joan Mitchell 10 were the

:14:00.:14:06.

other two. One-nil's meeting took place just days after he stood down

:14:06.:14:12.

as manager of the Shamrock Rovers. The 42-year-old had made no secret

:14:12.:14:16.

of his interest in managing the international side. Today, it is

:14:16.:14:23.

understood that the Irish FA sees him as their preferred candidate.

:14:23.:14:28.

But the deal is not done yet. Negotiations over personal terms

:14:28.:14:31.

will continue during the Christmas period, the formal announcement

:14:31.:14:39.

could happen before the new year. Glenn Ferguson is the front-runner

:14:39.:14:43.

to replace Roy Walker as by their manager. He is one of a number of

:14:43.:14:50.

candidates on a shortlist. -- Ali Mr Allam manager.

:14:50.:14:54.

The management team have yet to see their team win a match. But they

:14:54.:15:02.

are not panicking just yet. John Cunningham is the coach who is

:15:02.:15:07.

used to getting results at this soccer academy where he works.

:15:07.:15:11.

Victories have been in short supply since he took over as manager at

:15:11.:15:17.

Lisburn Distillery. But a 1-1 draw against to the champions have

:15:17.:15:20.

signalled a turning point in the club's fortunes. We have had some

:15:20.:15:25.

really good results against the the better teams. But it is turning

:15:25.:15:31.

that around, you know, that result a draw and day when. As I say to

:15:31.:15:34.

the players, you have to keep believing and working hard. We were

:15:34.:15:38.

unfortunate the other night. pressure is on now to steer them

:15:38.:15:43.

away from the relegation zone. thing I say, you are not in

:15:43.:15:46.

football to get all the plaudits and everything else, if you are

:15:46.:15:50.

there to try and help and improve the situation. If I can do that and

:15:50.:15:55.

I am a help, then so be it. If I am not the right man for it, then I am

:15:55.:16:00.

a big enough man to move to different project. The next

:16:00.:16:05.

challenge is a way to Donegal Celtic on Boxing Day. But didn't I

:16:05.:16:10.

get a surprise when I wish them luck? That you very much. If you

:16:10.:16:17.

bring a pair of boots, you might even get on the bench.

:16:17.:16:21.

There was disappointment for Darren Clarke and buoy arrive at the BBC's

:16:21.:16:26.

Sports personality of the year award last night. -- Roddy in

:16:26.:16:34.

Conroy. Clark was a favourite to win the award, but was spotted run-

:16:34.:16:44.
:16:44.:16:48.

up to cyclist Mark Cavendish. Rain Roy missed out on the spot. --

:16:48.:16:52.

Rory McIlroy. Ulster coach Prime a lockable be

:16:52.:16:54.

without key Irish international Rory Best, Stephen Ferris and

:16:54.:17:00.

Andrew Trimble for at the derby games over the festive period. They

:17:00.:17:05.

must be rested as part of the high RFU player management programme.

:17:05.:17:10.

And Ferdie boxing game -- Boxing Day did you...

:17:10.:17:14.

There is no tougher place to go in European rugby than the Rds.

:17:15.:17:20.

Leicester have 11 wins and a role in all competitions.

:17:20.:17:25.

Also have not won in Dublin since 1989. At this time of year, there

:17:25.:17:33.

is something of a selection dilemma for the coach. -- 1999. There are

:17:33.:17:36.

only four days between the matches. You need to use your squad. When we

:17:36.:17:43.

sat down and looked at it, our medical staff and air-conditioners

:17:43.:17:46.

if you're going to pick the same team out for those games, it is

:17:46.:17:52.

impossible. -- and Alan conditioners. We have got to use

:17:52.:17:55.

her squat over this Christmas period.

:17:55.:18:01.

But despite a weakened team without the big names, the captain says the

:18:01.:18:06.

pro 12 in this fixture still matter. If you are a professional sport,

:18:06.:18:10.

you want to win all of your games. He want to get on a run of wins

:18:10.:18:17.

regardless of which to mature playing in. The week is your bread

:18:17.:18:22.

and butter. -- the League is your bread and butter.

:18:22.:18:28.

The advantage for Leicester, they start at 10 Irish International's.

:18:28.:18:34.

It is a big ask for prior McLaughlan's men.

:18:34.:18:38.

It will not be easy. We have live coverage of that match on Boxing

:18:38.:18:48.
:18:48.:18:48.

Day at 5:25pm. Ulster verses Munster is also on the cards.

:18:49.:18:53.

We were a little disappointed for Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy at

:18:53.:18:56.

the BBC Sports personality of the year. The Gulf Ford would be split

:18:56.:19:03.

three ways. The golf vote was split three ways, the Northern Irish vote

:19:03.:19:08.

was split three ways. I was disappointed for Darren after

:19:08.:19:16.

fulfilling a lifetime dream. It was not to be his year. What about Rory

:19:16.:19:22.

-- what about Rory McIlroy's glasses.

:19:22.:19:27.

The temperature today has certainly got a little, but I do not think

:19:27.:19:31.

that it will last right through to that it will last right through to

:19:31.:19:38.

Christmas Day. Let's get the latest I think we needed the hat and

:19:38.:19:42.

gloves again to take a few the Christmas shopping. This cold snap

:19:42.:19:46.

is only temporary and and as we head through the Christmas weekend,

:19:46.:19:51.

the mild air will start flooding back in. It could be hanging around

:19:51.:19:56.

right up to Boxing Day. Unfortunately, it is likely to be

:19:56.:19:59.

unsettle and windy. Despite the chill today, it was at least

:19:59.:20:05.

brighter than it has been the past couple of days. There were blue

:20:05.:20:09.

splashes and showers. There are still a few of those across parts

:20:09.:20:15.

of the north-west in particular. Tonight will be clear and under

:20:15.:20:21.

those clear skies it will be bitterly cold. Through the night,

:20:21.:20:25.

that peace will start to feed them more cloud again, bringing some

:20:25.:20:30.

showery rain into the north-west. The more East you are, the more try

:20:30.:20:36.

you will be. Temperatures will get down to two or three degrees. Well

:20:36.:20:40.

enough for the odd icy patch. Perhaps most of it, by tomorrow

:20:40.:20:46.

morning. Nevertheless, a cold start to the Christmas weekend. It will

:20:46.:20:50.

turn more mild but quite windy. First thing tomorrow, probably not

:20:50.:20:55.

too wet but already cloudy and breezy. We find that the cloud will

:20:55.:20:59.

pick up and more persistent spells of rain will enter into Fermanagh,

:20:59.:21:07.

to Rome and a Londonderry. -- Tyrone and Londonderry. Not a very

:21:07.:21:11.

pleasant end to the day at all. Temperatures eventually recover,

:21:11.:21:15.

nine degrees, but probably not until late in the day. If you're

:21:15.:21:20.

out and about, for much of the day it will be quite cold tomorrow. It

:21:20.:21:24.

does not look like it will be a white Christmas, you will probably

:21:24.:21:28.

have to import the snow a few wanted. This Christmas-card scene

:21:28.:21:33.

taken in the run-up to Christmas last December. Last year be

:21:33.:21:37.

recorded the lowest ever temperature on Christmas Day, -17.5.

:21:37.:21:41.

This year could be the mildest, something we are keeping a --

:21:41.:21:49.

keeping an eye on. 13 Celsius ease the temperature to beat. There will

:21:49.:21:53.

be a lot of cloud around on the pity itself, it will be quite

:21:53.:21:57.

blustery and perhaps quite damp at times. But exactly festive, but

:21:57.:22:00.

better than last year for getting out and about and visiting friends

:22:00.:22:04.

and relatives. I do not think it feels right when

:22:04.:22:09.

it is mild. I think we need it to be called. Picture head in the

:22:09.:22:17.

fridge. Apparently the shops are bound to deal with people getting

:22:17.:22:21.

those last-minute presents in, but the next 36 hours will all be about

:22:21.:22:26.

wrapping them and preparing all of the food. Our reporter has been

:22:26.:22:28.

beating a variety of people, and he beating a variety of people, and he

:22:28.:22:38.
:22:38.:22:41.

has asked them of the same festive It is all about family, it is all

:22:41.:22:46.

about getting together, it is being in touch. It means great things to

:22:46.:22:51.

me, happy things. Christmas is a time of coming together, at a time

:22:51.:22:56.

that we remember the vulnerable, as it sees as himself was of course

:22:56.:23:05.

very watchable as a baby in Bethlehem. -- as its reserves.

:23:05.:23:09.

not a Christian person. Hallowe'en is my time of year. Christmas is

:23:09.:23:12.

just another working day for the Northern Ireland Fire and rescue

:23:13.:23:17.

Service. It is sad for people who are lying at on the street and

:23:17.:23:21.

people who have no body. I visit homes and there are plenty of

:23:21.:23:25.

people sitting there and no one comes to see them. It is not much

:23:25.:23:29.

different from any other day of the year. In fact, Christmas tree is

:23:29.:23:35.

usually very busy. Especially the afternoon and evening. Because a

:23:35.:23:38.

number of other health care providers will shut up shop and go

:23:38.:23:41.

home for the long weekend, the public expect the medicine

:23:41.:23:49.

department to pick up the tab, no matter how bad it is. Can I get a

:23:49.:23:59.
:23:59.:24:00.

hat on? Can I start again with a hat on? As a hat. -- have a hat.

:24:00.:24:04.

What does Christmas means to you? Spending time with family and

:24:04.:24:08.

friends and getting everyone together. And Santa coming to my

:24:08.:24:12.

children. Christmas means getting time to spend with family and

:24:12.:24:16.

friends. Christmas to me means precious time with family and

:24:16.:24:26.
:24:26.:24:31.

friends. What about this had? part of the experience. And the

:24:31.:24:41.
:24:41.:24:43.

case. -- and the tight. I think they call that entering

:24:43.:24:47.

into the spirit. We are very glad that we have the lights back on.

:24:47.:24:51.

That means you will see full, glowing take the colour, the

:24:51.:24:56.

shining faces of our guests. have St Malachy's primary school

:24:56.:25:01.

from our man in her studio. If you check out our Facebook page, B took

:25:01.:25:06.

photographs of them rehearsing this afternoon. I bought just interrupt

:25:06.:25:11.

them. I will say prepared to breed. Clay, what are you hoping to get

:25:11.:25:21.
:25:21.:25:23.

for Christmas? A new phone. And what about new? Presents come and

:25:23.:25:29.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS