24/02/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline. The headlines this evening:

republicans have met the IRA were fully responsible for the death of

a nine-year-old Londonderry boy it. I accept the apology from the IRA,

and they are totally to blame from -- for the murder of my son.

University of Ulster by is a swathe of land for its campus. An

investigation of the rehiring of retired RUC officers will begin

next week. Ireland aim to hit the ground running as they restart

their Six Nations campaign. And after a cooler day it'll be a

colder night, but what does the weekend have in store? Find out

later in the programme. Republicans in Londonderry have admitted full

responsibility for the death of a nine-year-old boy in 1973 - and

have apologised to his parents and family for the pain and grief

caused. Gordon Gallagher died when he triggered a bomb the IRA left in

his back garden. Jennifer O'Leary reports. He was playing cowboys and

Indians in his garden when he accidentally triggered an IRA bomb.

Gordon Gallagher was just nine years old. At the time, the IRA

admitted it had left the device, but claimed the detonator had been

added by soldiers. 39 years later, I accept the apology from the IRA

that they are totally to blame for the murder of my son. There is no

blame on anybody else. The apology is accepted. The Gallagher per

family had appealed to the deputy first minister to get to the bottom

of what happened. Martin McGuinness was in jail at the time and had no

information on what happened. have thought about the situation,

and they have quite rightly reacted properly. The stadium was released

through the centre. I think it is important. All families require the

truth. We need to explain to this family what happened, from the

point of the queue of the family, and I hope it is meaningful. It is

an attempt to say this is what really happened, and there is no

talk any more of things being tampered or altered. The

Republicans admit full response -- responsibility for the terrible

death. The father is still looking for more information. Anyone who

has any information, I am not looking for revenge. I am looking

for closure for my wife and myself and the rest of my family. I do not

want anyone arrested. I just need to know. It is peace of mind.

Tomorrow marks the 39th anniversary of chording Gallagher's death. The

family say that they always knew that the IRA was always to blame,

Another woman motorist has been left traumatised after have her car

stolen from her at knife-point in south Belfast last night. This

latest incident brings the total number of car-jackings around the

city so far this year to 23. Families of those bereaved due to

so called joy riding incidents say there's another tragedy waiting to

happen. Mervyn Jess reports. This is how vehicles usually end up

after a car jacking incident. Burnt-out or badly damaged. It used

to be that the these a break into the vehicles, hot wire them, and

drive them away. But now the criminals have been targeting

motorists with their keys and their cars. Victims say that the change

in tactics -- tactics are a tragedy waiting to happen. They were part

at people's doors and in a driveway. They drove them away. People have

been dragged out of cars and been traumatised. Last night, another

woman motorist was forced from her car at knifepoint here in Windsor

Road in Belfast. They brought the car to a halt in a collision with a

police car. A 28-year-old man has been arrested and questioned in

relation to the incident. So far this year, they have been 16 Karl

Jenkins and seven attempts at -- attempted hijackings in the greater

Belfast area. This evening, a local newspaper said that they have been

428 incidents in the last few years. They have been 16 arrests, with

four men charged. The task force has its work cut out for it. And

the police have set up a special hotline for anyone with information

about car hijackings. The number is 0800 028 1111. That's 0800 028 1111.

The University of Ulster has been taking advantage of the property

slump. It has bought up a large swathe of land in Belfast's north

inner city to house its new planned �250m campus. If the scheme goes

ahead as planned, it will mean extensive redevelopment and most

students from Jordanstown moving to Belfast. Our business correspondent

Kevin Magee reports. The university has been quietly buying up land,

planning for its expansion. It now owns this building, once the

headquarters of the department of culture and leisure. It also owns

the building next door, and acquired these three buildings. Its

spending spree has been held by the property slump. Land became

available which would not usually become available. The collapse in

the price of property made it financially viable to do things,

and now they have a very big part of that. It reduced to take years

to build up. The plan is to demolish the newly acquired

buildings and replace the tower block with this, a 10 story

purpose-built campus, which will house the 10,000 students. A plant

has been given a mixed reaction. is quiet - but quite awkward

getting to Jordan's town. I prefer Jordan's town, because we are

living up there. It is more likely that you will actually go to class

when it is out of the way of distractions. For me, I am not

bothered one way or the other. Staff says -- staff say the move

makes sense. It will regenerate the place. ITT in this city. I want to

see this city go well. The university building this building

will bring employment and opportunity on the educational

front and on the social side of things, it will bring regeneration

to the city centre. The University believes the building can be

financed privately. This project will be lost with the planning

authorities next month. If approved, construction will begin not long

after, radically altering this part In Dublin the son of a man

acquitted on charges of causing the Omagh bomb in 1998 has been found

guilty of possessing explosives. Conan Murphy, who's 25 and from

Dundalk is the son of Colm Murphy. Another man, Philip McKevitt, from

Aghaboy in County Louth was also convicted. Still to come on the

programme... All the latest on Ireland's preparations for their

Italian showdown tomorrow. A special tribute for a local blues

Now an update to a story we've been following... The investigation by

the government's spending watchdog into the PSNI's rehiring of retired

officers as civilian staff will begin next week. The audit office

hopes to have a draft report ready by the end of May. The BBC has

learned that the police have paid more than �60 million to a

recruitment agency overduring the past five years. Our Home Affairs

Correspondent Vincent Kearney reports. Hundreds of former RUC

officers have been rehired by they PSNI on temporary contracts after

retiring with a generous redundancy packages. This Belfast-based

employment 88 -- agency have employed many staff over the past

three years. It is the sole provider of temporary staff for the

PSNI. The money it was paid includes salaries for those Staffs

-- staff as well as a dizzy fees. Members of the board have

questioned whether the policy offers valued for money, and asked

the Audit Office to investigate. A number of current and former

officers have raised similar concerns to the BBC. I think that

is some indication but senior staff within the PSNI could influence the

creation of positions that they were themselves able to fill after

they were -- retired. This should be subject to some open competition.

I can't see why 10 years down the road, we cannot do that. And is not

just about a short-term fixed. It is about be a -- building the PSNI

for the future. The PSNI is doing a value-for-money review. There are

currently 300 former RUC officers on temporary roles. The

investigation intends to look at how many retired officers have been

retired since the scheme was -- since the PSNI it was introduced 10

years ago. It will also be looking at the contract with the

recruitment agency. The investigation is expecting to have

unfettered access to any documents Now Scandinavia is a region not

short of a forest or two, but that hasn't stopped a County Antrim firm

from winning a million pound export order for woodchip. McKinstry Skip

Hire is sending a first shipment of thousands of tonnes of recycled

chippings to a Swedish paper mill where it'll be used as fuel. Our

District Journalist Ciara Riddell was on hand. This would has been

dumped in a amenity sites across Northern Ireland. Normally, a lot

of it will end up in landfill, but at this plant in Antrim, it is

being tended to woodchip to ship a broader. McKinstry Skip Hire won

the contract along with an English export company to supply it to

Sweden. The generation -- it is expected to generate many jobs.

Over the past couple of years, we have struggled to get a secure

outlet. This will do that. It it is here at Belfast docks where the

first consignment of 2,500 tons is being loaded onto the ship bound

for the Swedish paper mill. It will be used as fuel for the factory.

Any excess energy will supply it electricity for thousands of homes

by it. It means when people take their waste to the local recycling

centres, instead of going to landfill as it would have done in

the past, this company has found another use. It will be exported

off. The only problem is we don't have a market place for this in

Northern Ireland. We shivered into that. As the drive continues to

bring down the amount of waste be put into landfill, it is hoped that

other firms will follow suit and be more creative about how they

Northern Ireland has been a magnet for film-makers in recent years,

but now a home-grown drama it will show a student life in Belfast.

Belfast in the 1970s on screen. How things have changed. This is 6

Degrees - the first major drama series Tim be made for BBC Northern

Ireland three years. It follows the lives of six freshers as they

embark on their first term of university. It is about

relationships, making mistakes and growing up. But for one of its

stars, what is significant is it is not about the Troubles. It was one

of the things very appealing - it is just about the youth in Northern

Ireland and Ireland at the minute. It is nothing to do with the past.

It is not very current, really. show has been a filmed in and

around Belfast. But the themes it tackles a universal. The show, for

me, is about friendship, life learning. It does not focus on the

academic side of university. This is just the first term in

university, so they have a long way to go. But they learned a lot by

the end of the first series. Degrees begins next Tuesday at

9:30pm on BBC Two. I clearly missed out!

Now sport - and there was a gathering of Olympic Boxing greats

in Belfast today, but the heavyweight clash of the weekend is

tomorrow at the Aviva Stadium. Island are facing Italy in Dublin

tomorrow After a cold snap postponed their match in France,

the Irish are now keen to fire up their campaign with a victory, as

Phillip Coulter reports. The players might look relaxed, but

they know they are expected to win it against the team who gave

England a fright in their last six Nations encounter. Let us see if

they take the lead again. What you expect is a big physical challenge

with Italy. It will probably be a tough challenge all round.'s home

the advantage will be keep Ireland, who have not played since their

defeat to Wales for three weeks ago. We take the positives out of the

disappointment we felt. Weekend kind of turning to each other, but

there is a bit more contact than they usually with. Last year,

against Italy, it went right down to the wire. A more convincing

performance would be welcome, but a first Six Nations when it is the

priority. Remember, it's an early kick-off in

Dublin tomorrow: 1:30pm. Ulster are in action shortly in a

Pro12 game against the Ospreys. The match - live on BBC2 from 7pm - is

a must-win if Brian McLoughlin's men are to keep in the play-off

hunt. Gavin Andrews is at Ravenhill. The main talking point is that...

With me is the former Ireland coach. Do you fancy are also's chances?

is hard to say. They need to probably win every game in the

running. We have seen the combination before, probably later

the game. It is an interesting dynamic. They are looking for a

coach this summer. Have you expressed an interest? Yes, we will

see what happens. In a word, will Ireland when? No question. Kick-off

it is that seven of 5pm. Rory McIlroy will become the

world's number one golfer this weekend if he wins the World

Championship event in Airzona. He's playing Spain's Miguel Angel

Jimenez for a place in quarter finals. That match begins in about

15 minutes. Rory McIlroy says he needs to cloud mistakes in this

competition to keep progressing. But he never looked like losing.

And with much of the focus in Arizona focusing around Tiger would

defeat, Rory McIlroy is getting the job done in the desert. He may be

operating underneath the radar, but still produces some trademark

moments of brilliance. And if he does continue his winning streak,

all eyes will be on the 22-year-old this weekend. His dream of being

world No. 1 could become a reality. Jonathan Rea has picked up where he

left off last season and today posted the best time of the first

qualifying session at Phillip Island, site of the first races

this weekend of the World Superbike Championship. But not so good news

for Eugene Laverty who is riding with a broken bone in his hand - he

finished 22nd in the timings. League leaders Linfield are away to

third-placed Cliftonville in the pick of the weekend's Carling

Premiership matches. Cliftonville's Liam Boyce is enjoying his return

to the local scene following his time last year with Werder Bremen

in Germany, and believes he's come back a better player. I am fast and

strong a. I feel like I am a better player all round, and more mature.

I feel more dependent on myself. I don't have to rely on so many

people as much. I am a better person for it as well. It we

believe we will challenge anyway, we want to win the game is. We will

see where it takes us. The Ulster Gaelic Football manager

Joe Kernan admits his team may be playing for the future of the

Interprovincial football series - as well as a trophy - in Sunday's

final against Munster in Armagh. Ulster have won this competition

more times than any other province, but falling attendances in recent

years have threatened its future. But Kernan believes it can still

survive. If we sit down and look at the Cup, we need a bit of pain, we

need to look at the venues, and give it a proper chance. After

three years, if it doesn't work, we go home with our hands up. I still

think there is a future. Belfast has been celebrating its

success in the boxing ring today. Local fighters who competed at

Olympic Games were honoured at a reception in the City Hall. Boxing

is Ireland's most successful Olympic sport, having provided 12

medals - most of them won by Belfast fighters. We had some

scrappers in Ireland. It comes down to cultures. I think we still have

the best coaching system. It's emerged that Irish Olympic

boxing hopeful Tommy McCarthy was hospitalised after being assaulted

during a night out in Belfast just over a fortnight ago. The

heavyweight suffered concussion and a cracked bone in his neck during

the assault. It has only been two and a half weeks, but it has had a

very bad effect on my training. The impact has been completely negative,

but I am sure that in the next two weeks, I was start recovering and

be able to get straight back to where I left off.

Just a reminder that Ulster-Ospreys starts on BBC2 at 7pm. She was one

of the most famous blues singers of her days, but when Ottillie

Patterson died in last year, her death went unnoticed. Some of her

fans have got together to insure her memory does not fade. In the

'50s, Ottillie Patterson was the bigger name. She performed in the

Morecambe and Wise Show, along with her husband. They extensively

toured Europe and the US. She was signed up to big labels. One blues

singer recently performed in a tribute night. She was a

trailblazer. She went out there, we got from Northern Ireland. It was

unheard-of - Mac. Her influence on other people was priceless. One of

her fans is cataloguing her private collection. She was such a massive

star. To be a blues singer in a white country is unbelievable. Her

voice may have been related to the fact that her mother was flat being.

She can never explain it has up. Was he lured to hear, a plaque has

been unveiled her bare house where she was born. At least there will

be a permanent reminder of this local staff. At times, it was a

very hard work. Different towns, one every night. As she got older,

and her health failed, her voice thrilled as well. But these things

cannot go on for ever. After 22 years together, Ottillie Patterson

and her husband divorced. She retired to live a quiet life in

Scotland, where she died in a It has been a decent enter the week,

and all be a decent start to the weekend as well. This is the

picture you can see today - a lot of cloud is sticking around. The

cloud will stick around for some places tonight, but where it

doesn't, or we could see temperatures dipping to two or

three degrees. Still,., it will be a chilly start the weekend. But

tomorrow, it will be a dry bright and sunny day. There will be cloud

around, but it will break at times. If you are heading to Dublin for

that six Nations game tomorrow, it will be cloudy but dry with

temperatures of ten Celsius. For ours, the cloud continuing to thin

out. Further east, more likely to see the sunshine coming out.

Temperatures for us all at nine Celsius with light winds. A fairly

decent day. Tomorrow evening and overnight, it will be just like

tonight. There will be clear spells, and that will allow for a touch of

grass a frost to form. But where the cloud stays around,

temperatures will be three or four Celsius. A chilly start to Sunday.

More on the way of cloud around. A dry and bright start, at chilly

tonight and tomorrow night with a chance of frost. By the end of the

weekend, the cloud roles in an all become damper. But the Sunday, at

the temperatures are on the rise. That will continue as we go into

next week - 13 Celsius by Tuesday. The compromise for the higher

temperature that - it would be more unsettled on Monday with outbreaks

of rain. A cloudier date to come on Finally, a reminder of the stories

making the headlines: Republicans have admitted the IRA was

responsible for the death of a nine-year-old Londonderry boy.

There's been a warning that people will die unless carjackings are

stopped. The University of Ulster has bought

up a swathe of Belfast land for its �250 million campus.

A 65-year-old retired British businessman has been extradited to

the United States, accused of supplying missile parts to Iran.