03/12/2013 BBC Newsline

Good evening. The headlines on BBC Newsline. A report finds Garda

collusion in the IRA murders of two senior RUC officers almost twenty

five years ago. We'll have reaction from the family of one of the men.

Four brothers are found guilty of the manslaughter of a couple in

County Armagh seven years ago. Also on the programme... Northern

Ireland's record goal-scorer tells us why he's decided to retire from

the beautiful game. Within the past hour, a Dublin-based inquiry has

published a report finding that there was collusion between Gardai

and the Provisional IRA killers of two senior RUC officers, murdered

nearly 25 years ago. Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and

Superintendent Bob Buchanan were shot as they returned north after

meeting Garda officers in Dundalk. Today, after an investigation that's

taken over seven years, Judge Peter Smithwick concluded information had

been passed to the IRA from within Dundalk Garda station. Our Dublin

Correspondent Shane Harrison joins me. Shane, what does the report say?

What's been the reaction from the Republic's government? Harry Breen

and Bob Buchanan were murdered shortly after leaving done. Garda

Station in March 1989 and almost immediately there was speculation

that a rogue Garda officer had passed on information to the IRA. At

the time that was strongly denied by the Garda Commissioner and by the

head of the RUC, but the rumours persisted and the Judge Peter

Smithwick found that while there was no smoking gun to point at any

individual Garda for passing on information, on the balance of

probabilities, he is satisfied that someone in the station alerted the

IRA and that resulted in the murders. While not pointing the

IRA and that resulted in the finger at any one individual, he

says that to Garda Sergeant 's had inappropriate relations with the

IRA. He says that he reached a verdict on the basis of probability

and he accepted the evidence of an assistant chief constable from the

PSNI. Drew Harris give information to the tribunal more or less at the

last minute saying that they had received intelligence from dissident

sources around 2011 saying that an member of the Gardai who had not

given evidence to the tribunal may have been the source of the

information. In accepting the evidence of Drew Harris, that may be

seen as a snub to the Garda Commissioner, because on the last

day of the hearings, his barrister asked the judge not to accept Drew

Harris for what he said. This second damning report about the

conduct of the Gardai in relation to the troubles and Northern Ireland,

it is just five years ago that another tribunal into Garda

corruption made some very damning findings about individual Gardai.

There was the fact that they made up their own explosives so they could

find them in order to get promotion. What reaction has there been from

the Republic's government? The Justice Minister and the Deputy

Prime Minister have both issued statements in which they say they

apologise without reservation to the but-macro and Buchanan families.

They said they were appalled by the report and imagines that most

members of the Gardai would also be shocked by what has emerged.

members of the Gardai would also be you. In March 1989, the two victims

were the highest profile RUC officers in the south Armagh border

area. That profile meant they were known to both the public and

politicians. It also made them vulnerable. Chief Superintendent

Harry Breen had been in the RUC for more than 30 years. He was from

Banbridge and had served there as well as in Lurgan and Newry. In 1988

he was promoted and became commander of 'H' Division, an area which

covered south Down and south Armagh. He was 51 and was married with two

children. Superintendent Buchanan also had over 30 years experience.

He was from Bready and served in Derrygonnelly, Antrim and Lisburn.

After promotion to Superintendent, he was stationed in Omagh and

Belfast and was later posted to 'H' Division. His duties there included

liaising with the Gardai. He was 55 and married with two children and

two grandchildren. Following the inquiry findings into their deaths,

our Home Affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney examines the

reaction this evening and the impact of those two officers' deaths nearly

twenty five years ago. Even as family friends and colleagues

gathered for the funerals, the allegation that information from

within Gardai ranks had been passed on to the IRA were swirling around

the investigation into the murders. I have spoken twice today to the

Commissioner and we have been very concerned at the statements as to

the possibility of a mole. We have each, within our own area of command

examined carefully and I can say that now, categorically, the

evidence which we have firmly confirms to us that there was no

mole. We would ask that this be discounted. Today, the son of one of

the RUC officers is shocked to discover those allegations are true.

I know that a mole theory was in the background at the outset, but this

was very quickly discounted by the Chief Constable of the RUC and the

Garda Commissioner at the time of the murders. The findings of Judge

Smethwick are both incredible and shocking and confirm the existence

of a mole in Dundalk station. This led to the death of my father and

that of his colleague Harry Breen. As the RUC's point of contact with

the Gardai, Harry Breen had made several trips to Dundalk. Following

the Dundalk meeting, the officers, both in plain clothes, and both

unarmed, travelled back north in the superintendent's own car. It had no

armour or a bullet-proof glass. They took a back road near Jonesborough,

a quiet road of the Superintendent had used previously. They were

followed by the IRA. Other members of the gang had staged a roadblock

and when the officers were forced to stop, they became the easiest of

targets. The findings by Peter Smithwick show that the officers had

driven into a trap, mounted by gunmen who were expecting them to

show up. He specifically refers to the morning, in and around 11:30am

and probably before that, that the the morning, in and around 11:30am

IRA, in his mind, he is satisfied, that the IRA received information

from Dundalk Garda station. Asked about the findings of the enquiry as

short time ago, the Justice Minister said it may not be possible for

authorities in the Republic to take further action. We are looking back

some years, they were unable to find any specific criminal evidence

against any individual or individuals. The important issue is

that we get a joined up system and that we work together to make

Ireland, north and south, safer for everyone. What do you think the

tribunal has achieved? It has gone into the detail of what happened,

but it cannot solve the needs for the future. We have to look at

different ways of working, whether it is around police co-operation or

joining up the political system it is around police co-operation or

that we build a different society here. The Smethwick report says it

was highly regrettable that the most senior police officers on both sides

of the border dismissed speculation of a mole within the Gardai in the

immediate aftermath of the killings. And if we get more reaction, we will

bring it straight to you. Our other main news story today comes from the

court in Armagh where four brothers accused of killing a couple near

Tassagh seven years ago have been acquitted of murder. But Niall,

Martin, Christopher and Stephen Smith have all been convicted of

manslaughter. Our reporter Gordon Adair was in the court today. This

was a difficult and emotional day for the three families caught up in

this tragic and horrific story, a story which has its beginnings on a

cold November night, not unlike this one, just over seven years ago. It

took the jury just under seven hours to find neither Martin, Martin,

Christopher and Stephen Smith, all guilty of manslaughter and all not

guilty of murder of Thomas O'Hare and Lisa McClatchey. They were

cleared of arson and found guilty of attempted arson. , the verdicts were

given to a packed courtroom, before man of the jury was asked about each

brother individually and one by one, and he replied not guilty of murder,

but guilty of manslaughter. Relatives of the brothers wept

quietly in the public gallery, their mother was not able to go into the

courtroom and waited outside. Afterwards she said it was all that

anger she said she was glad it was all over. Neither any family members

from the McClatchey family or the O'Hare family showed any reaction.

The families of the victims left without making any comment. In a

statement, the police acknowledge the verdicts, first and foremost on

the half of Lisa McClatchey and Thomas O'Hare and the families who

lost their loved ones in such horrendous circumstances, but they

say they also acknowledged it, half of detectives who began the

investigation almost seven years ago and along with the Public

Prosecution Service, persevered to bring the brothers back from the

Republic, England and Australia to face a court in Northern Ireland.

They say that no one had the right to take the law into their own

hands, no matter what the perceived injustice, threat or provocation.

That was a reference injustice, threat or provocation.

history of this case. Thomas O'Hare and the Smith brothers all grew up

in the tiny village here, they were near neighbours here on this estate.

They played football together for the local GAA team. It seemed to all

intents and purposes, are normal and happy childhood for all of them. But

15 years ago, a dark secret emerged, a dark secret that put in motion the

chain of events that culminated today in Armagh courthouse. When he

was 17, Thomas O'Hare had sexually abused three young boys and one of

them was that then eight-year-old Stephen Smith. The court in Armagh

heard how this revelation devastated the Smith family and in 2000, Thomas

O'Hare was dealt with with a probation order and by now he was a

married man with children. probation order and by now he was a

rarely seen in the village. But his marriage did not last. Why 2006,

Thomas O'Hare was living here, with his girlfriend Lisa McClatchey. A

young woman from a very different background. She would later be

described in court as the only true innocent in all of this. This house

had been left to Thomas O'Hare by an uncle and he had been born in this

house and it was here in November of that year that he was to meet his

death, in an unimaginably violent way. By this time, Stephen Smith was

a father and he began to notice Thomas O'Hare coming and going from

the estate once again. In a statement read to the court, his

girlfriend explained that he had become obsessively protective of his

own son. The Smith become obsessively protective of his

a plan and on a cold November evening, in 2006, they met up here

at a quarry not far from their home. They had with them balaclavas that

one brother had bought some weeks before, they had boiler suits, they

had drums filled with petrol and they had a sledgehammer. There was a

fifth man here he was never named, he drove the car they had borrowed.

The brothers had known these roads since childhood, within minutes they

were at their destination, the house here. It was here that the version

of events offered by the prosecution and the defence differed. The

prosecution claimed the brothers came here with murder on mind, that

they deliberately doused Thomas O'Hare and Lisa McClatchey in petrol

and equally deliberately, set them on fire. The brothers argued the

plan had been about burning the house, but that it had gone

tragically wrong and has exploded before they had a chance to get

Thomas O'Hare and Lisa McClatchey and themselves out. It was that

version of events offered by the brothers that the jury here in

Armagh believed and it is an indication of just how difficult and

dramatic this case was for the jury. The judge has excused them

from jury service for the rest of their lives. The Ulster Bank has

promised to compensate customers left out of pocket after last

night's computer problem let people unable to use cards or withdraw

cash. Some customers have complained of being embarrassed as they were

not able to pay for shopping, of being embarrassed as they were

or meals. To make matters worse, yesterday was called cyber Monday,

one of the busiest days for online Christmas shopping. Our economic

editor reports. We rely on our banks to keep our economic lives operating

reasonably smoothly, so when things go wrong, what follows is annoyance,

frustration and embarrassment. That was the story for one customer at

this petrol station in County Antrim last night. The tank is filled, but

because Ulster Bank's systems were not working, she had no way to pay.

The manager came out and asked me to fill out a nonpayment form and to

give details of my contact information and to leave

identification. It was very embarrassing. The problems took

about five hours to sort out and the bank has apologised and in

about five hours to sort out and the statement said, if anyone has been

left out of pocket as a result of these problems, we will put this

right. What compensation are you entitled to? The bank has confirmed

that all customers can be reimbursed fully for any expenses they have

experienced. The best way is to contact the bank directly and talk

to them about the expenses. This is not the first time Ulster Bank has

been at the centre of a technology problem. Last summer there was a

much more serious issue when people could not get at their money for

weeks on end. The bike ended up paying out millions in

compensation. Despite all of that anger and upset, very few Ulster

Bank customers actually left the bank, perhaps it has been

traditionally difficult to switch accounts. Just a few months ago,

traditionally difficult to switch entire banking industry signed up to

a new scheme, which makes it easier to make the change. Something for

customers to think about. The family of a child waiting for heart surgery

say they feel they have been left in limbo because a decision still has

not been made on the future of the service in Belfast. The Health

Minister who had been expected to make an announcement in July is

urging parents of sick children to be patient. Our health correspondent

reports. This little girl is two and requires further heart surgery. In

her short life she has received operations in both Belfast and

Dublin, but the location for her neck surgery after Christmas is not

known. We cannot plan anything, where we are going, we cannot plan

how we are going to be able to get Grace and Rebecca sorted as well. We

will have to take time off work. How long my husband will have to take

off work, we do not know. It leaves everyone up in the air. It is where

children like Grayson so many others will future surgery that this

causing the current tobacco. 18 months ago, a leading surgeon

announced plans to retire and that is now happening on Monday. There

was also a review that concluded while safe, the surgical unit is

unsustainable, but most recently Edwin Poots has been attempting to

broker a deal will but shortly an all Ireland service while retaining

some surgery in Belfast. For some it is too little too late.

some surgery in Belfast. For some it will be going to Dublin. Again, it

comes down to the Health Minister. Belfast cardiologists are attending

talks in Dublin. With the negotiations going down to the wire,

it could be early next week before the Minister announces his

decision. Even then, that could include extending the review period,

so a Boston medical team can offer their advice in the New Year. More

reaction out of the findings of the Smethwick Tribunal report from

Gregory Campbell of the DUP in Westminster. The tribunal found that

there had been guarded collusion between the IRA killers of the two

senior RUC officers in 1989, it did senior RUC officers in 1989, it did

not point the finger at any particular officer or civilian, but

what do you think of the findings? I think that this confirms what we

already knew, there was indeed collusion between some Garda

officers and members of the Provisional IRA. When you look back

down through the years and see how many extradition warrants were

declined, the governments in the Republic of the day consistently

refused to hand over IRA suspects, we saw the border being used as a

safe haven for the IRA to escape across and now we have this

confirmation. It is a damning indictment of that one incident, but

there were others. There had been findings of state collusion both

north and south of the border, what does that do for us now, knowing

what many people used to describe as the dirty war during the Troubles? I

have heard some comments, but the apology for any wrongdoing is a

first step, a welcome step, but now we need end Kenny to step forward

and to apologise for the wrongdoing that his predecessor government --

local governments did in 1969 when they helped to finance the

Provisional IRA. It is a right and good step, but let us build on it

and try and draw a line under these issues, now that we have this

confirmation that many of us knew was the case and that the Irish

government did actively, through the Gardai, assist in small numbers of

cases, the Provisional IRA. What sort of an impact do you believe

above have on discussions about how we deal with the past? I do not

think it will have a dramatic impact, because this is confirmation

of what many people knew was the case anyway, but it does give

professional input into the matter, but I think the talks must continue.

Hopefully it will concentrate some minds and draw attention to what

some of us have been saying for many years and I do think we will have to

try and draw a line under these issues and if we get that

unequivocal apology from the Prime Minister, I think that will help

many people to move on. Thank you. Speaking in the last few minutes,

the Republic's Justice Minister gave this reaction on the report's

findings. It is a matter of the utmost gravity that he has concluded

that an anodyne to fight member or members of the Gardai in Dundalk

Garda Station colluded with the IRA and that that collusion resulted in

the tragic death of two respected RUC officers. I want to, on behalf

of the government and state, unreservedly apologise to the

families of both men for any failings on the part of this state.

In his report, it concludes that there was collusion, he makes a

series of recommendations with regards to matters which are of

relevance to policing, both in this jurisdiction and that is between the

PSNI and the Gardai and obviously there are issues to which we will

give careful consideration. We will have more reaction to the news at

10:25pm. The International footballer David Healy has announced

his retirement after 95 caps for Northern Ireland. With a record

breaking 36 goals to his name, one in particular will live long in the

memory - the strike that beat England in 2005. Joel Taggart has

been speaking to Healy about that goal and his decision to hang up his

boots. There was once said that Roy of the Rovers read David Healy, X.

He is looking for three goals! --, X. His goal sport that I was scoring

exploits were a fairy tale, but a reality check at 34. It is time for

a new challenge. I have had a lot of injuries and setbacks recently. I am

ready for a new challenge. My career is over. For Healy, Windsor Park was

his Wembley, where he reigns supreme. He passed a record of

appearances for an outfield player, but finishes just five games short

of that magical century of caps. 100 would have been great, I saw Ronaldo

getting his 100th cap in Portugal, that was striving me. I still

thought I could still do it. -- driving me. The England goal is the

one that everybody will stop and talk to you about, an iconic moment,

what does it mean to you? It makes me honoured and very proud to be the

one to score the goal. It may take us another 70 or 80 years to beat

England, it will always be remembered. Finding the net appears

to run in the blood and of David has his way, you may not have seen the

naming Healy on the scoresheet for Northern Ireland for the last time.

To see my son playing for Northern Ireland, that would top anything I

had ever achieved as a player. As for his own future, management

appeals. One job more than most. It is something I would love to do. The

ultimate dream, I would be sat here lying, my ultimate dream now would

be to be a coach and a manager of my country. As a player he

be to be a coach and a manager of my remembered for scoring goals and

smashing records, not even his inconsistent club form causes

regret. For David Healy, he was the boy from Killy lay you saw his

football come true. I1-macro believed title at Rangers. My debut

at Old Trafford was brilliant. Replacing Ryan Giggs coming on and

playing 95 times for my country and being the record goal-scorer --

goal-scorer, I have no regrets. I have been lucky. Good luck to him.

The weather is next. It will turn chilly through this

evening there is a cold front sitting over us. It will bring rain

this evening. It will clear away before midnight and after that the

temperatures will plunge kills to spackle close to freezing. In

countryside areas it will be colder than that. Wednesday will not be too

bad day in terms of brighter weather, we have tonnes of sunshine

in the forecast and just a showers. If you do get a shower you will be

an lucky and it should pass fairly quickly with a brisk north-westerly

wind. Tonnes of bright weather tomorrow, some sunshine as well, but

temperatures will struggle, six or seven degrees at best, but with the

north-westerly winds, it will feel much colder than that if you are out

and about. Very little changes towards tomorrow evening with the

exception of the wind, by around 9pm tomorrow, the winds will pick up and

as we go into Thursday, we begin to see those picking up quite a bit as

temperatures fall to three or four degrees. We should avoid a frost

tomorrow night. For Thursday, the big feature is the wind and there is

a warning for the strong winds tomorrow. We could see gusts of up

to 70 mph and there may be disruption. We will keep an eye on

things and keep you posted on that. Some rain around on Thursday,

coupled with the strong winds, it will be quite blustery out and about

an temperatures managing about eight or nine degrees, but with the strong

winds it will feel much colder and on the tail end of that, there may

be wintry flurries especially on the coast. The good news for Friday and

into the weekend, high pressure once again tries to build and we are

looking at a more subtle picture. That was BBC Newsline. Thank you for

watching. Good night.