26/02/2014 BBC Newsline

soon. That is all from the BBC News at Six, goodbye from me. On BBC One

we now Good evening, on BBC Newsline. Peter

Robinson threatens to resign as First Minister in the row over On

the Runs. If Ian Paisley and I had been round

the table and told this is what the Government was doing to do, we

wouldn't have entered into Government. We will have reaction

from Stormont, also from the common, we will have more on the secret

letter, sent to paramilitary suspects by Government officials. We

will hear from the Justice Minister who said he is demanding answers

from the Secretary of State. Also on the programme.

An apology to the families of 11 vulnerable adults at care home,

after an investigation confirms allegations of abuse.

The First Minister Peter Robinson has threatened to resign if there is

no judicial inquiry into the secret letters, sent to more than 180

paramilitary suspects which contained an assurance they would

not be prosecuted. The DUP leader said he could not

remain in a power-sharing Government, being kept in the dark

on such an important matter. The revelation about the On the Run

letters came about yesterday, with the collapse of the trial of John

Downey. A County Donegal man charged with the murders of soldiers during

the Hyde Park bombling in London, by the IRA, in 1982. -- bombing. The

judge accepted the case could not go ahead because seven years ago John

Downey had received alert, containing that assurance.

-- a letter. Our political editor is with me. You have been speaking to

the First Minister Peter Robinson, he has threatened to resigned. He

was physically angry today Yes, he expressed outrage in a written

statement yesterday after the John Downey case judgment was published.

Today, he made it clear that he still continued to feel that sense

of anger, didn't use the word resign, but he said that his

position was basically not tenable, if he was kept in the dark about

justice matters of such an important kind. He said that a hole had been

blown in the middle of the Haass process, this is what he said he

felt had to happen. Indicated that I am not prepared to

be kept in the dark by Her Majesty's Government in London, about matters

which are relevant to Northern Ireland. That means I want a full

judicial inquiry, into all of these matters, so that we can see who

knew, when they knew, and what they knew. Those are vital questions to

be asked, and answered. I want to know who the 187 people are that

received these letter, if indeed it is only 187 people, because I

wouldn't believe anything I hear any longer. But I want to know who they

are, what crimes they were believed to have committed, because don't

forget justice isn't just about whether the police that the moment

in time have sufficient evidence to make a prosecution stick, because as

time goes on, forensics may change, new evidence may come in, where a

prosecution could take place. So it is absolutely vital that nobody is

allowed though they can get away with it. That sip why I want all of

the letters resinned. So you call for them to be rescind and a full

judicial inquiry into this matter, your deputy has said that the very

existence of devolution is at threat here, if you don't get what you

want, what are your options? I am going to get it. I am not prepared

to be the head of a government that is kept in the dark in this way, I

want there to be full disclosure, I want the people to know what has

gone on, let me be very clear, if Ian Paisley and I had been told this

is what the Government was going to do, we wouldn't have entered into

Government. That would not have been an acceptable basis for us to enter

into Government with Sinn Fein. Martin McGuinness took to social

media to respond to that. Sinn Fein tried to keep things cool Yes,

Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson share a castle behind us, but this

being the modern age of social media Martin McGuinness took to Twitter to

tell Peter Robinson to calm down, the DUP not going to listen to that,

but that has been the message from Sinn Fein, that everybody they say

knew who was involved in the peace process, that this issue had to be

dealt W here is Alex maxi. It is foolish to make this type of

statement under these circumstance, we have had very very severe

disorder on the street, all of last year, but really any talk about

resignation really misses the point, what we have to do is party, and

that includes Peter Robinson's party, we need to get back to

implementing the Haass proposals. The question has been doing the

rounds, Mark, what did the unionist and particular the DUP know about

this On the Run process? I raised with Peter Robinson a quote from a

book by Jonathan Powell who was Tony Blair's Chief of Staff which implied

that the DUP knew that concessions were being made in relation to On

the Runs but were happy as long as it was generally felt that this was

done on David Trimbleable's watch. Peter Robinson said this was wrong,

said that the document that was referred to didn't include anything

about On the Run, there are those who harbour doubts, including gym

alster from the T UV and the former vice-chair of the Policing Board

Dennis Bradley. I am a bit surprised because it, was

a briefing to the Policing Board, if you real the consultative group, it

was referred to there, so it is in the public domain that the level and

it is reasonably well described in how it should be and shouldn't be

dealt with. I hear what they say but I am surprised. If they didn't,

given they were in close negotiations, with the Government,

then it seems a failure on their part to fully interrogate the issues

that lay at the heart of the negotiation to get both Sinn Fein

and DUP in the Government, maybe it was a bit of we don't want to know

because we are very anxious as the DUP was, to get into Government with

Sinn Fein, and now it is all coming home to roost. We will talk more

later in the programme. To the Commons next, where some MPs voiced

their great anger at the collapse of the John Downey care, and also the

revelation about those secret letters, to On the Run paramilitary

suspects. Our political reporter Stephen Walker listened to what was

at times a heated debate. It was cones dental today was Northern

Ireland Question Time in the House, and naturally many local MPs wanted

to talk about the John Downey case. This has very very serious

implications for devolution. That anger was shared across the bench,

We need to assure people we haven't ended the dirty war to end up with a

dirty peace. Is that not even more imperative, after yesterday's

revelations? They prove that some of us were right when we warned the

right honourable member that they were blighting the peace process

with a penchant for side deal, sub deal, shabby deals and secret deals.

The issue was raised during Prime Minister's Question Time We should

be clear the man should never have received the letter that he

received. It was a dreadful mistake, and a mistake that we now need to

have a rapid factual review to make sure this cannot happen good

afternoon. Whatever happens we have to stick to the principle we are a

country and a government, under the rule of law.

The Attorney General confirmed 38 people received letters during this

current Conservative liberal administration.

Many said the affair raised dons -- dozens of questions Can I Miguel

Jiminez to disabuse members... Accepted by them as opposed to this

deal, which was shabbily driven through behind the backs of even the

representatives in this Parliament. Others had concerns about what the

knock on effect of the John Downey case might be. Given these awful

events the Government thinks long and hard about the perception

apparent if we are giving an amnesty to one group while but suring other,

like potentially the soldiers involved in the Bloody Sunday

incident. So can my right honourable friend confirm that reconciliation

and justice and forgiveness applies to both sides, not one. It is clear

that the John Downey case has ramifications well beyond the

confines of Parliament. It throws up a series of political and legal

questions, one MP said to me tonight, they also think it changes

the way the past will be debated in Northern Ireland.

And we will return to Donna at Stormont Castle later. The issue of

On the Runs has been the subject of political negotiations for more than

a decade. Mark Simpson has been looking back at what went on in

public, and in private. Yes, 71.12%. Less than two months

after the yes vote in 1998, private enegotiations began about the On the

Runs. The issue was raised during long

negotiations at Hillsborough Castle and western park. By 2001, Sinn Fein

and the Government had agreed a private process, in which Sinn Fein

provided some names, and the authorities checked out whether or

not they were on a wanted list. The court judgment in the John

Downey case says round this time Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams told the

Government he wanted an invisible process for dealing with OTRs but

Shepped the Government had no alternative to legislate on the

issue. So in 2005, the then Secretary of State Peter Hain

published draft legislation, but the bill was later withdrawn. So no over

all deal but in the wake of the St Andrew's talks in 2006 Tony Blair

wrote a private letter to Gerry Adams and assured him "Before I

leave office I am committed to finding a scheme that will resolve

all the remaining cases." And so in February 2007, the police began a

review of all the On the Run cases, it was codenamed Operation Rapid.

In May Stormont returned and brought the DUP and Sinn Fein together at

the head of a new power-sharing executive. Two months later a letter

was sent to Sinn Fein negotiator Gerry Kelly about the case of John

Downey. It said John Downey was not wanted by the police.

He thought he was then three to go where he pleased but last year he

was arrested at Gatwick Airport, while en route to Greece. But when

the private letter was produced the case against him collapsed and it

turned out that 186 others received similar letters.

The Secretary of State explained more today in the House of Commons.

These letters set out in fact eventual way whether individuals

were believed to be wanted by the police in Northern Ireland, or

elsewhere in the UK. The current government looked at the scheme in

2012, and decided future inquiries should be sent to the devolved

administration in line with the Emmanuel Adebayor minute straights

of police and justice. It has been controversial for almost two

decades, in public and private. Now it is threatening the very future of

Stormont. -- the administration. So what has

been the reaction from victims? Mervyn Jess gauges reaction from

Republican and loyalist communities. What is left of Crumlin Road

courthouse in Belfast. It was here throughout the years of conflict

that many terrorist suspects were brought before a judge, convicted

and sentenced. For the families of victims who haven't had their day in

court, news of the OTRs letters of assurance, stating they won't be

prosecuted has come as a heavy blow I have spoken to a number of people

who have said hang on a minute, autumn these different organisations

and agencies appear to have been involved in this. Who can we trust

now to tell us the truth? The Government of the day in 2006-2007

entered into what can only be described as a grubby secretive deal

with terrorist, and as far as our widows in Northern Ireland are

concerned, that is our RUC widow, they are in a state of despair and

disbelief. Republicans say the OTRs at issue

number less than 200, which they stress is minuscule, compared to the

25 to 30,000 IRA prisoners who went through the jails. It was flagged up

to the British, way back in 1998, that some sort of a process would

have to be put in place to deal with the people who are, the OTRs, the

people who are on the run for one reason or another, and the process

that was agreed, they are calling it a secret deal now, but to be honest

with you, you know, most of the people in our community would have

been knowledgeable about it. The PUP say they didn't take part in the

discussionser Shea say it is further evidence of Republicans getting

leniency while loyalists are targeted It unjust people on the run

are allowed to remain free and people who have served life

sentences and been taken back, loyalist have been taken back to

prison do another sentence after having served a life sentence. Many

families are feeling let down, there is a lack of justice, of

acknowledgement, going forward and the whole question of dealing with

the past as a question has yet to be answered. The scales of justice no

longer swinal at crumb lip road, even if they did there are some

suspects who would never be before a court. Earlier, the secretary of

state said that the case of the On the Runs has been evolved here. It

does not mean me. She said that and appear to be talking about the

police and Public prosecution service. She did and make that on

her watch, these letters were issued. Yesterday it was presented

as if it was something in the past on the Labour government, but to

date it was a friend. Do you think to reasonably as have been

misleading? I am not saying that, but she has not told the ball truth.

You have never seen one of these letters? I have not. The first I

knew anything of it was after the court decision last week. And you

have never received any of these requests? I have had nothing to do

with it. It has been an issue created by being Labour government

and continued by the Conservatives. People will be asking why does the

justice minister not know about this? You must be asking yourself

the same question. There are things that the justice minister don't

know, but it is disingenuous for the NAA will to talk about development

and then we are not informed. What is your solution to this? What we

should have done was happy and open and transparent and honest process

where people saw what was happening. We had that sort of example when we

have the reduction in sentences, but they were still guilty and out on

licence. You certainly got no transparency here. Do you believe

that your colleagues in the executive knew about it? I can only

go on what Peter Robinson said. It certainly did not pass the

Department of Justice. Do you think these letters should be this ended?

We need to be careful about talking about rescinding things. There are a

lot of legal issues, but the first thing would need to get some truth.

Do you disagree with the scheme? I took opposition to it when it was

first suggested. The exact length of time people should have been in jail

is an issue, but they should not have been an amnesty. If these

letters stopped a prosecution taking place, this is something is wrong.

How big is the crisis? We need to establish some truth first. People

should not be threatening to resign, but the government needs to stand

their ground. Vincent Kearney, our home affairs correspondent joins us

now. Bps and I have been blamed for this catastrophic mistake. -- bps

NI. They insisted the letter sent to John Downey said that he was not

wanted by any police force in the UK. Their remit was to do two

things. It has been said that the PS and I did not want to arrest John

Downey, but they did not go as far as saying he was not wanted by any

other police force. There is some confusion around the contents of the

letter. The first minister says he wants the case looked up and the

letters rescinded. What is the chance of that happening? The Lord

justice said that extraordinary events would have two happening for

John Downey's case to be reactivated. I spoke to a source

yesterday and he said as far as he was concerned, the proceedings

against John Downey are dead in the water. He said he has never known of

the case thrown out in this way to be reactivated. In terms of the

others, we don't know the terms of the letters they receive, but if

they are similar, they should be treated the same way and not

prosecuted. The families of the families of 11 fallible adults have

received an apology from the Western Health Trust after allegations of

abuse were confirmed. Ralph's Place is home to 16 men and women. Some

enjoyed horrendous physical and verbal abuse. Some members of staff

have been suspended. The men and women at the centre of

these allegations have severe learning difficulties and for most

of their adult life they have been in the care of the Western Health

Trust. In 2010, these purpose-built bungalows became their new home. The

idea behind the scheme was to give them greater independence and to

remove them from institutionalised care. But it was within their home

some were physically and verbally abused. A total of 45 allegations

were made covering the period from 2010 up until 2012. Of those 22

allegations were substantiated, involving several members of staff.

Additional issues of concern were noted. In 2011, inspectors found

that staff had not completed courses in looking after vulnerable adults.

Also, it has been found that: the BBC has been contacted by a

whistle-blower who raised a number of disturbing details about the

level of alleged abuse, including allegations of physical and verbal

abuse and the humiliation of several vulnerable adults. They said they

had witnessed unbelievable abuse of the most honourable members of our

society who are in our care in the trust. They were afraid to produce

the evidence that would have shown the abuse happened as they would

lose their jobs. We have met with the families to apologise for any

distress and her that has been caused. Police investigation into

the allegations claim their was no evidence of wilful neglect. The

Public prosecution service directed there should not be any

prosecutions. People who work in the field of learning disabilities and

work with runnable adults, if they see it happening, come forward. 11

members of staff, including management, remain suspended.

According to the health trust, a disciplinary process is underway. An

Omagh councillor says they are stand following the death of a woman that

the police are treating as murder. It follows an incident at a house in

the town on Sunday. Mairead McCallion was from Omar and

was taken to hospital with head injuries on Sunday. She died the

following day. This property in the town has been the focus of the

police investigation. Yesterday it was confirmed that a murder enquiry

was underway. One local councillor said Mairead McCallion's death had

come as a shock. I have the opportunity of visiting her family.

They are stand this has happened and the circumstances of her death add

further to their distress. They grieving with great dignity and

there in immediate concern is getting the remains back so they can

proceed with the funeral arrangements. The police have not

released details about what happened here. They have asked anyone with

information to contact the incident room at Omagh police nation.

Back to our main story and Peter Robinson's but to step down as first

minister if there is not a judicial enquiry into the scandal surrounding

the On the Runs. Our political editor is still with me. He is

looking for a judicial enquiry into these On the Runs letters. What is

the likelihood? It is a big ask. Since the bloody Sunday enquiry, it

has been said that there should be no more long, costly enquiries.

Peter Robinson has something that campaigners didn't have before and

that is the ability to Paul devolution down. Perhaps the

government will have two go some way to beating his demands. We will have

an update on the situation on our programme at 10:25pm this evening.

There is also more information online. That to the studio.

-- back to the studio. Time now for the weather.

We have this area of low pressure ringing with it stronger winds. The

rain will not be with us that long. It will move across all places but

clear away quite quickly do the night. Temperatures down to two or

three degrees, but in the countryside it could be colder. The

rain will leave behind a scattering of showers. In between, plenty of

dry weather. Many of us will get up to good spells of sunshine. You may

manage to avoid the showers altogether, but to be prepared.

Temperatures typically seven or eight degrees, but in the sunshine

and away from the winds we could see 910 degrees. Little changes as we go

into the evening. -- nine or 10 degrees. When Terry Butcher 's fall

overnight -- when temperatures fall overnight, there could be some

frost. Friday will be quite chilly with scattered showers. Similar for

Saturday, which will be the best day of the weekend, but if you are

planning on Sunday to do anything, do it chewing the first part of the

day as low pressure will bring unsettled weather.

That if it for now. Goodbye. -- that is it