30/09/2013 BBC Newsline

Good evening. The headlines on BBC Newsline. No peace centre at the

Maze. So no economic development there, either. Martin McGuinness

spells out Sinn Fein's bottom line there, either. Martin McGuinness

on the former jail site. No change to GCSEs and A levels here after a

review finds there's no case to replace them. A relative of an

elderly man who had more than £100,000 stolen by his carer speaks

elderly man who had more than out after her guilty plea. I would

elderly man who had more than have been a regular visitor and I

never had any reason to suspect this have been a regular visitor and I

was going on. There's criticism of have been a regular visitor and I

an Orange Order offer to talk to Ardoyne residents if it gets to

complete its march there this weekend.

at Ravenhill. But why did their mascot, Sparky, get so excited? We

reveal who was inside the bear suit. And after a lovely weekend for many,

we are more or less back to normal as we start the month of October,

with rain on the way. First to the latest in the row over the future of

the Maze Long Kesh site. The Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness,

says there can be no further development there unless the deal

that had been reached to build a peace centre is honoured. Mr

McGuinness said that while the Balmoral Show can go ahead next

year, any future plans will depend on the peace centre deal. Last

month, the First Minister withdrew his party's support for the centre,

saying it could not go ahead without consensus. Mark Devenport is at

Stormont. Mr McGuinness, is he saying that nothing can happen

unless everything is agreed? That is it. Martin McGuinness faced

unless everything is agreed? That is questions in the Assembly this

afternoon and he spelt out in public what Sinn Fein has been saying for

quite some time, but development at the Maze site is frozen and Mr

McGuinness described the campaign to stop this Peace Centre as deplorable

and said he was deeply saddened that the agreement that Sinn Fein had

and said he was deeply saddened that with the DUP was not being honoured.

He did raise the agricultural Society for their work in hosting

their show on the site earlier this year but he did add, these are

important riders. The decision to withdraw support, it has now

jeopardised the future of the site as a whole. And I am also content

that the Balmoral show continues next year. However, the anticipated

development of the site can only proceed on the basis of the

honouring of the commitments that were made and the role of the

honouring of the commitments that development corporation. And no

further developments took place until this was satisfied. What are

the applications? As Martin McGuinness said, being interrupted

there, it does look like the show could still stay on the road for

next year but we know that the Royal could still stay on the road for

Ulster Agricultural Society is looking to sign a longer term

agreement with the board and in a sense, they spent £2.5 million

agreement with the board and in a already on that side, unsecured on

till they do that, so that is a major headache for them. What is the

position of the board? They had a meeting and released a statement

saying it would be inappropriate for them to comment on a confidential

discussions with the First and them to comment on a confidential

Deputy First Ministers but that statement says that key decisions

regarding this site are taken by the First and Deputy First Ministers and

that the board will do its best to First and Deputy First Ministers and

continue to secure regeneration for this site but it is hard to say how

they can fulfil their basic function, given what Martin

McGuinness has said. Thank you. Next to education and the future of A

levels and GCSEs. The Education Minister at Stormont, John O'Dowd,

had commissioned a major review of the exams after changes were

announced by his equivalent in England, Michael Gove. Today, the

findings of that review were unveiled and it says there is no

case for changing exams here in the near future. David Maxwell has this

report. The review published today recommended evolution rather than

revolution when it comes to our exams system. It was prompted by

changes in England which will be phased in from autumn 2015. There,

GCSE and A-level students will sit all examinations at the end of the

two year course. But the local exams board, CCEA, who conducted the

review, don't believe we should follow Michael Gove's direction and

the Education Minister here agrees. We have consulted in preparation of

this report and people say, letters examined the change but letters

examined that carefully and make sure it is based on research and

that we end up with a system we can be proud of and can transport across

the world. So what does the review recommend? It says GCSEs and

A-levels should be retained but there'll be discussions about

possible name changes. It proposes a mixture of testing both during and

at the end of courses. But the review says students should only

have one opportunity to re-sit exams Internal assessments such as

coursework will also stay. So while the overall structure remains the

coursework will also stay. So while same, what could change? The review

says consideration should be given to combining GCSE English and

English language. A new GCSE mathematics exam should be

considered and a more specialised IT qualification. At A-level, students

will only be able to do re-sits in June. The review also recommends

developing a new exams system in the longer term and potentially

scrapping GCSEs further down the line. But reforms elsewhere mean the

exams system is going to become much more fragmented within the UK and

that's raised some concerns. We need to be absolutely sure that nothing

is done that damages or limits the portability and transfer potential

of exams in Northern Ireland when young people sick access to

universities in other jurisdictions. But John O'Dowd says qualifications

here will still carry equal weight. The review now goes out to

consultation but it's already been broadly welcomed by schools. I

welcome the fact that he believes that one size does not fit all. I

strongly believe that Northern Ireland is very separate and should

remain so and therefore, our pupils are good and our examination results

are the best in the UK. What the Minister has put forward is

something that allows the system to be adjusted rather than the radical

change that Michael Gove has proposed. The idea of coursework is

important and that allows students to develop a range of skills they

don't learn from exams. The review published today has been described

as cautious. It requires no immediate upheaval but it does call

for a longer term review of GCSEs and A-levels and points to more

substantial changes in five to yen years. -- ten years. A woman who was

supposed to be caring for an elderly man was in fact stealing from him. A

Bangor woman has pleaded guilty to taking more than £100,000 from Cecil

McAllister, who was also known as Jock. He was 91 years old when the

theft began. He has now passed away. Barra Best was at Downpatrick Crown

Court. This is 56-year-old Leslie Dorothy Helen Boyd. She was charged

with six points of fraud and one of theft. The fraud charges relate to

the writing of six bank cheques worth more than £61,000. They were

drawn from the dagger account of Cecil McAllister in 2009 and 2010.

The largest was worth £50,000. The smallest £100. Boyd, from

Chippendale Avenue in Bangor, was also charged with stealing a further

£44,000 belonging to Mr McAllister. This morning, a jury was sworn in

for the start of the trial but before the case that under way, Boyd

was made legal team indicated there would be a change of plea. Leslie

Boyd was originally set to contest the charges but cheaply the guilty

when all seven were put to her during a brief appearance in court.

She is due back here in December for sentencing. Before she left the

court, the judge told her she should think hard about the kind and

details she gives about what happened because that might

influence her sentence. I would urge people listening to this or

following the story to sit down as a family with vulnerable members and

have this discussion, could this happen? I firmly believe that if it

happened here, it could happen to anybody. There's the boy decide on

bail until she has to appear for sentencing in December. -- Leslie

Boyd. Stay with us. Coming up: Could a Government-backed scheme give the

housing market the extra boost it needs? A nationalist residents group

in North Belfast says it would be insane for the Parades Commission to

allow the Orange Order to march past Ardoyne shops this Saturday. The

proposal by the Order is to complete the contentious march that was

proposal by the Order is to complete restricted by the Commission on 12th

of July. Vincent Kearney reports. 44 police officers were injured during

three nights of rioting after an Orange Order parade was stopped in

three nights of rioting after an North Belfast on the 12th of July.

Since then, a protest camp has operated at Twaddell Avenue - just

yards from the section of road the parade was banned from. The Orange

Order today invited the media to a press conference to announce its

proposal for a parade this Saturday morning, and then talks about next

year. News crews turned up - but the Order didn't. Reporters and camera

crews were told that various partner groups associated with what's

described as the civil rights camp would be be available for interview

on the latest move by the Order. Those present included political

parties linked to the UVF and the UDA, along with city councillors

from the Ulster unionists and the DUP. It was left to them to spell

out the Order's position. We will apply to complete our parade at 9am

on Saturday the 5th of October, and the parade will consist of the three

lodges and to bands that were banned from the club and road by the

Parades Commission. -- Crumlin Road. We are open to dialogue with the

residents for the 2014 parades that can commence immediately after our

return to the Orange Hall. No one is here from the Orange Order to answer

return to the Orange Hall. No one is questions about what the Orange

Order itself says. Is that acceptable? I am glad you asked me

that. Mervyn Gibson sent the text minutes before he arrived to say he

had an urgent family member -- family matter to attend to. He would

have a very reasonable reason. A spokesman for a nationalist

residents' group in Ardoyne said there must be talking before

walking. I think it would be insane for the Parades Commission to

overturn their original determination and that would

constitute a rational decision-making and I would say, do

not capitulate to loyalist violence. Intimidation and lawbreaking.

not capitulate to loyalist violence. Because that is what happens here on

a nightly basis. But the Orange Order says its offer of a morning

parade is a significant. -- is significant. Sources say that many

in their community oppose this move. They want return parade to take less

at the traditional time of 7pm. Not at 9am. The Parades Commission will

meet tomorrow to discuss the application for a parade this

Saturday. The Reverend Mervyn Gibson from the Orange Order joins me. I

Saturday. The Reverend Mervyn Gibson was no one from the Orange Order

represented at that news conference? Several people were or injure men.

They did not represent the Orange Order to ring the news conference? I

had a personal commitment but I am here now. Does that mean you are on

your own in this? Not at all. The camp showed that everybody from

Orange family was there. From all of camp showed that everybody from

those community group. You see this proposal for Saturday is a step

forward, something very positive? What would you say to residents that

say that giving permission would be giving in to intimidation and

violence? I do not know where that has come from. You have not seen the

pictures? ! Has not in any violence. I would challenge you to

show us any photographs after the 12th of July. There has been

peaceful protest and I have seen no violence. You don't think this will

given to the violence that happened? All of those people

injured, including many police? What happened then was because of the

Parades Commission giving in to the violence of republicans last year.

It showed that violence paid. Many in the unionist family did not think

that and we can't dine and we had a very peaceful protest. You say that

if this parade goes ahead on Saturday, you will engage in talks?

You were engaged in talks before the Saturday, you will engage in talks?

12th of July. The residents association told us they are ready

to start tomorrow. Why such a delay? We are also ready to start but we

want to get this matter sorted out. We want this impasse broken. We want

to deal with what happened and finish that parade and we have

applied for permission at 9am on Saturday morning and we believe that

is economise and once that takes place, we will enter into talks for

next. If that is not granted, would you accept that? We might not like

next. If that is not granted, would it but we will protest against that

but we have to accept the decision. Andy talks will start, regardless?

No, the talks will start if the parade goes home and if the brethren

No, the talks will start if the we turn home, then the talks will

start on Monday. 40 weeks of talks on the table. Pity. -- thank you.

start on Monday. 40 weeks of talks The trial of a brother of the former

west Belfast MP Gerry Adams has been listening to the closing statements

of both the prosecution and defence. 58-year-old Liam Adams from Bernagh

Drive in Belfast denies ten charges of raping and indecently assaulting

his daughter more than 30 years ago. Will Leitch reports.

Liam Adams was in court to hear prosecution and defence counsel some

of the evidence against him. Speaking to the jury, a prosecution

barrister said Aine detailed evidence against her father. We

suggest, he said, the detail is king in this case and when you look at

the detail, you could not make it up. He told the jury:

But in making her closing speech, a defence barrister said it was one

person's word against another and she questioned the truthfulness of

Aine Adams. She said: The jury of nine men and three women

have been hearing evidence in this case for over two weeks. This

afternoon they took direction from case for over two weeks. This

the judge in how properly to deal with it. Tomorrow they retired to

consider their verdicts. The local banks say they need more

information before deciding if they'll take part in a Westminster

backed scheme for house-hunters, which could allow for 95% mortgages.

The Help to Buy scheme is supposed to start next week. Our Economics

and Business Editor John Campbell has more details.

The local housing market is just about getting off the floor after a

huge and ruinous crash. The Help To Buy scheme could give it a further

boost. The scheme is being run by the Westminster government and

applies across the UK. It will mean you can buy a house costing up to

£600,000 with a deposit of as little as 5%. The deposit is so low because

of the loan goes bad, the government will cover the first 15% of the

bank's losses. Unsurprisingly, estate agents are enthusiastic.

Prices are hopefully turning so if there is an opportunity like this,

there will be more sales. This buyer said the scheme would have made

things easier for him. We had to start saving which meant we would

things easier for him. We had to not have spent more money. It was

tough. But there is still a big unanswered question over which

lenders will take part in the scheme. Ulster bank's parent company

RBS is on board. But like all local banks, it wants more information

before committing. At a stroke this scheme with increased demand in the

market. People who thought they would have to wait years for a

deposit will be able to buy straightaway. But supply will take

time to catch up which sounds like a recipe for rising prices. It will

probably lead to a bit of a rise in house prices. The local economy is

still scarred by a housing market that got out of control. The

government insists this scheme will be regulated to prevent a new bubble

emerging. be regulated to prevent a new bubble

Joey Dunlop was our last motorcycling World Champion, but

could we be celebrating another one soon? Stephen Watson can tell us.

The late Joey Dunlop was World Champion an incredible five times in

the 1980's. More than 25 years on, Eugene Laverty could be following in

his footsteps. With just two more rounds left, the Toomebridge rider

has put himself right into contention to win the World

Superbike championship. He had two contention to win the World

podiums finishes, including victory in Race Two, at Laguna Seca in

America last night. Thomas Niblock reports.

When Eugene Laverty hit the front in the Californian heat, he was made to

work hard all the way to the finish line but held on to a precious lead

and vital points in the championship title race. With his earlier third

place in race one, he is now a title contender. It was one of the best

races in my life. I had to work so hard in the last few laps but thanks

to my team, we made a step today. With two more rounds and another 100

points still available, Eugene Laverty is up to second place, only

23 points behind the leader. I really was not sure if I could do

that today. The package wasn't quite there. We did not have the grip

that today. The package wasn't quite today but it shows the power of the

will to win. The championship now moves to France next weekend before

the final round in Spain a fortnight later.

Ulster's rugby players moved up to fifth in the Pro12 table after a

fine win over Italian side Treviso at the weekend. Ulster scored five

tries at Ravenhill to secure an excellent bonus point victory. Lion

Tommy Bowe celebrated his return from injury with this try. Watch

Sparky the mascot closely. You may wonder why, in particular, his

celebrations were quite so exuberant. That's because it wasn't

celebrations were quite so Sparky in the bear suit. It was the

man who's joined me in the studio tonight - winger Andrew Trimble.

Why? I have no idea. It was a childish ambition of mine so I

thought it was a great opportunity. I assume as we take a look at your

celebration, you are now fully fit from injury and back for a return? I

did a bit of homework and watched Sparky in the first half and thought

I could do this. I lost all composure when Tommy scored the try.

Tommy knew it was me but he must have forgotten because he gave me

the cold shoulder. An excellent Ulster performance. The young guns

are going really well. There is great competition for places at the

moment. It is great to see. Ulster is going from strength to strength.

moment. It is great to see. Ulster Young guys playing well, it is a

great place to be at the minute. The last couple of weeks have not been

so much fun for myself, but I am looking forward to getting back

involved. A disappointing start to the season. Worthy players worried

at all? It does not take long, two losses and it is all doom and gloom

but now a couple of wins, we are fifth in the table. You are fit for

selection so hopefully might see you this week? I am not sure exactly but

hopefully in the next week or two. When Sir Alex Ferguson retired as

Manchester United boss at the end of last season, that left Ronnie McFall

of Portadown as arguably the longest serving football manager in the

world. McFall has been in charge at Shamrock Park for almost 27 years.

And while Man United may be struggling, Portadown are flying

high. Thomas Kane reports. It might be early in the season but

Portadown are looking like title challengers. They went 1-0 down

against Lenthall at the league's top scorers. Gary Twigg is already in

double figures for the campaign. While Peter McMahon popped up with a

winner. We are not getting carried away in any shape or form. It is all

topsy-turvy and we just have to refocus and keep our feet on the

ground. After a stuttering start, Linfield are the league's inform

ground. After a stuttering start, team. Peter Thompson's goal made it

six wins in a row. We did not make too much of it and being Linfield,

things not going to well, too much of it and being Linfield,

have stuck together, we have a lot of work to do but we have worked

hard. A second victory of the season. Brian Henderson with one of

the best goals of the weekend. That is it from me. When children in need

the best goals of the weekend. That comes around, we know where to find

Pudsey! A friend of mine was planting grassy this weekend and was

glad to get some rain. It really has been disappointing

today especially given the glorious conditions we But backed down to

earth with a bump today. It is looking pretty unsettled. Spells of

rain, often windy as well, at least temperatures are close to or above

average. We did start off with brightness in the West before that

low cloud came piling in. That is shifting the leaves quite quickly

off the leaves. An overcast evening, one or two bits and pieces of rain

macro. Mainly dry towards the west and the north by through the night,

the wind will be picking up, we will have more persistent spells of rain

and the potential for it to be heavy. Lows of 11 or 12 degrees.

Tomorrow is a cloudy and dull and damp one and still quite windy. The

more persistent rain will be during the morning and the risk of Hugh

more persistent rain will be during heavy burstss. Could the unpleasant

more persistent rain will be during on the roads during rush hour. But

the rain should ease off in the afternoon. There will be troops and

trips and drives in the afternoon. Temperatures not too bad given the

southeasterly breeze, 15 or 16 degrees. Even though the rain eases

tomorrow during the afternoon, we could see heavier showers returning

through the night. Wednesday is quite windy and quite damp places.

As we head into Thursday, for all of us, a weather front moving in to

bring heavy and persistent spells of rain. We are back at 10:25pm. You

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