27/02/2014 BBC Newsline

Good evening. On BBC Newsline - Peter Robinson lifts his resignation

threat after the Prime Minister announces a judge-led inquiry into

the on the run letters. I agree with the First Minister of Northern

Ireland. That after the terrible error of the Downey case, it is

right to get the end to death to the bottom of what happened. If you get

what you want, why resign? A teenager on trial for killing his

father says he hoped he'd become his guardian in heaven.

Ulster Bank racks up another enormous loss - but says things are

getting better. And there's more sunshine and

showers to come tomorrow, but ice is expected tonight. I'll have full

details shortly. The first minister, Peter Robinson,

has lifted his threat to resign. The Prime Minister has answered his

concerns over the On The Runs scheme. David Cameron agreed that

there should be a judge-led inquiry into why 180 republican paramilitary

suspects were sent letters telling them that they were no longer wanted

by the police. Here's our political correspondent, Martina Purdy.

The Prime Minister and the German Chancellor faced questions on issues

important to all of Europe. But David Cameron needed also to deal

with Northern Ireland. After days of controversy and his acknowledgement

that a terrible error has been made, he made this announcement. As

the First Minister has said, we should have a full examination of

the whole thing. We will appoint an independent judge to produce a

public account of the operation of this administrative scheme to

determine whether any other letters were sent in error. The judge will

have full access to government files and officials. This needs to happen

quickly so this review will report by the end of May and we will

publish the report. Very difficult decisions were taken around the time

of the Good Friday Agreement and around the time of the peace

process, and as an incoming Prime Minister, I do not want to unpick or

call into question all those difficult decisions. I want to be a

Prime Minister who helps deliver to devolved in solution -- devolved

institutions in Northern Ireland and I want to be clear that these

letters were not and should be not any form of amnesty. The response

from the First Minister who threaten to quit if the government failed to

act, satisfaction. I am satisfied. I think the Prime Minister and

Secretary of State have been prompt and dealt with the issue seriously

and in a matter that sets -- and as a way that is satisfactory to me. I

do not intend to resign, if you get what you want, why resign? Sinn Fein

has shrugged off the government response to what it calls a

manufactured crisis. The issue that we are talking about, including

legacy issues, we will have to talk about them anyway. To put people to

an election over an issue like this and then have the same parties get

into power and then what we do is Mac we had to back down and come to

terms with the legacy of the past. I would say to those in Sinn Fein who

say this is a manufactured crisis, they need to be at the end of the

telephones in our offices and they will soon know that there is nothing

synthetic about the concerns it be expressed by members of the general

public about politicians and for the larger part, in the press and the

media. This was a serious issue and I'm glad the Prime Minister made the

statement that he did today during his press conference. I very much

welcome the judge led enquiry that he announced and I am happy with the

terms of reference that have since been set out in the government

statement. Those terms of reference make it clear that they will deal

directly over a speedy period, because many of us were concerned

that this would be the kind of enquiry that would go on for months

and months, if not years, and this way we will have a response before

the end of May. And we can deal with any related matters. I certainly

intend to provide the judge who will preside over that enquiry with the

kind of issues that we would like to have dealt with and we will be happy

to release those publicly because there has been too much hidden over

the last number of years. So I think it is proper that the public know

exactly the kind of this series we want dealt with. But it was claimed

that the First Minister has rolled over. If Peter Robinson accepts what

the Prime Minister offers, then he has rolled over because it is

nothing like what he was demanding. He was demanding a public enquiry

into the secrecy of the scheme, the operation of it, interview new and

when they knew and all that. He is only getting an administrative

review. On one issue only. Were there any other mistakes made in any

other areas? Tomorrow, at the request of the First Minister, the

Assembly will have its say. The DUP will lead the condemnation of how

the government handled biggest year of those on the run.

The Secretary of State spoke to our political editor a few minutes ago.

He asked her how the enquiry would work. We are announcing today that

there will be an investigation into how the scheme is run. A judge will

be appointed to investigate the facts of what happened and the

reason why the Prime Minister has decided to do that is because of the

very serious concerns expressed by the First Minister and by the

justice minister and by others. We want to make sure that the

appropriate facts are analysed and uncovered so that we know exactly

how the scheme operated. Does this amount to a full judicial enquiry,

or is it more an exercise of reviewing the paperwork? There will

be a strong focus on the document, the judge will have access to all

relevant documents. We don't envisage a lengthy public enquiry

type process lasting many years, it will be a time limited thorough

investigation, focusing primarily on documents and we would expect civil

servants and police officers to provide interviews where necessary.

Other interviews can be conducted with other integral -- with other

individuals. The judge will be able to call witnesses? He will be able

to conduct interviews. We are not talking about compulsion but we

would expect civil servants and police to cooperate when questioned

by the judge. And what about the letters that you are going to be

sending to the On The Runs, or that render the previous assurances

worthless? I cannot make any comment about the first set of letters, but

I can make clear that anyone who is in receipt of a letter should be

very much aware that if new evidence emerges, those letters do not

warrant immunity -- do not grant immunity from prosecution. If new

evidence emerges, the new individuals could be secures it like

anybody else. These letters do not confer immunity, and never did. So

you will not be contacting the On The Runs directly, you are just

sending out the letter in public? Yes, no plans for individual contact

with people who have received these letters. But the message is that if

new evidence emerges, these letters do not confer immunity from

prosecution. The evidence would be acted on by the police in the normal

way with arrests or prosecution were justified.

The Secretary of State speaking earlier. The controversy over On The

Runs have -- has raised questions over the very nature of demolition

and whether power-sharing is working. We have been gauging

reaction to the latest crisis at Stormont. It is a long way from

Downing Street and Hillsborough Castle.

But here in County Donegal, people have been watching the unfolding

story closely. They are preparing for a party. The welcome home dance

will be held at the weekend. We are likely to get a bit of business at

this time of year. Things are quiet. We cater for all kinds of business.

Miles away in Fermanagh, the impact of beef case is being felt by this

man his father is being -- was killed in the any skill and bomb. He

can't believe that so many people got letters telling them they were

not on the police wanted list. There are several names are directly nice.

They will never go through that justice system. -- several names

that I recognise. But people have to be held accountable. This

controversy has shown how the past can affect the present.

Power-sharing has been in lace for 50 years, on and off. But if the

semi-collapse, would people miss it? Yes. It is too much of a cosy boys'

club. I think we are getting rid of it. They need to work together, and

that is it. They will not give up their money, put it like that. They

will not give up their jobs in Stormont. Speaking of jobs, a group

of Irish-American business executives arrived in Belfast today.

They were well briefed on the latest political difficulties in Northern

Ireland, but did not seem too bothered. If you think about it,

there are still very aggressive investing in places like Israel, in

other parts of the world right now that I would argue are not exactly

the most... They certainly have a bit of volatility themselves. The

overall view that -- was that in spite of difficulties, Northern

Ireland still has a positive image but a little bit of harmony at

Stormont would certainly help. Let's get the thoughts of our

political editor on what has been happening today. What a difference a

day makes! Yes, we have had 24 hours of a high wire act by the First

Minister, putting his job on the line unless you got what he was

asking for. He has decided that this offer from David Cameron is enough.

It does seem to fall somewhat short of a full judicial enquiry. The

Secretary of State made it clear that there would not be a power to

compel witnesses but it is more than just a review of the paperwork and I

think that Peter Robinson feels that he should give this a chance. He has

now withdrawn that threat to resign which would have brought the

Stormont pack of cards tumbling down. Take through what will happen

tomorrow? They will still go ahead with this emergency session which we

expect to convene at noon tomorrow. There is a motion put down by the

DUP which addresses concerns about the detail of the John Downie

judgement, discussed what it called heretofore hidden actions and calls

for a judge let enquiry. So I think that the DUP will go ahead and claim

a victory. They may be angry exchanges and we may see people

saying that this is not enough but so far as the media future is

concerned, Peter Robinson feels he has got what he asked for. Thank you

for joining us this evening. Still to come on the programme, the

Supremes celebration at Northern Ireland's first integrated school.

A County Tyrone teenager who killed his parents thought that the repeal

his guardians in heaven. Sean Hackett was suffering from

diminished responsibility due to his mental state. Our reporter Julian

Fowler was at Dungannon Crown Court. The court was told Sean Hackett was

a teenager with troubles. Before killing his father he had split up

with his girlfriend and was feeling the pressure of competing at a high

level in Gaelic football. He was upset at the death of his

grandfather and was also thinking of dropping out of college.

Today a consultant forensic clinical psychologist, Dr Philip Pollock,

gave evidence. He said Sean Hackett formed the idea that by killing one

of his parents they would become his guardian in heaven, looking down on

him, resolving his unhappiness and making the problems in his life

evaporate. In October 2012, he tried to strangle his mother. Despite

seeing a counsellor, he began a plan that led to the fatal shooting of

his father. On the day of the killing in January

last year, Sean Hackett said he had twice tried to shoot his mother at

their home but had not been able to bring himself to do it.

He then lay in wait for his father. After shooting at him three times,

he held his hand, crying, apologizing and saying prayers.

Dr Pollock said that in the months before the killing Sean Hackett

displayed symptoms of a major depressive disorder. And that his

abnormality of mind met the criteria for diminished responsibility in

relation to murder. The jury were told that Sean

Hackett, who denies murder, would not be giving evidence himself. A58

old man is being questioned with police -- a 50-year-old man is being

A Swedish engineering firm is competing and giving 150 jobs in

Ballygawley by transferring manufacturing work to England. It

makes crushing and screening equipment used in mining and

quarrying. The organisation will involve cutting jobs in Derbyshire

and putting some of them to Ballygawley. The Enterprise Minister

said it was a tremendous endorsement of the staff and management on the

County Tyrone site. The Ulster Bank has reported a loss

of just under one and a half billion pounds for 2013. The bank's chief

Executive says it has underlined performance that is improving. John

Campbell is at the headquarters in Belfast. Tell us more what these

figures show us? Ulster Bank is our biggest local bank and it has run up

another very big loss. We can see it had an underlying profit across

Ireland of ?370 million last year. That compares to normal banking

activities like credit cards and mortgages. We then turned to this

1.8 billion loss to do with bad loan losses. That was to do with the

crazy days of the boom both north and south of the border. Although

not that there's a loss of ?1.5 for the Ulster Bank, that comes on top

of the ?1 billion loss in 2012. The Ulster Bank is still 80% state-owned

and it is your bag, whether you like it or not. The chief Executive says

things are improving? He is referring to the fact that some of

those loan losses is to do with them setting up an internal bad bank

which will take away all the bad property loans and over the next

three years get rid of that property poison from the system once and for

all. He says they have to take this hit up front and that will help in

the long run. He also talked about the number of people who are not

being mortgages on time, he said that picture is improving. What does

the future mean in terms of more bank closures and possible job cuts

to get them back into profit? The bank has been explicit over the past

few months that the Ulster Bank will be a smaller concerns with less

people and less branches, but today all we got was a holding statement.

There was no fine detail so as to what the bank is proposing may come

out over the next weeks and months. Whilst our political process is in

crisis, others around the world are still keen to copy the progress we

have made. Last week, an international commission announced

that the Basque separatist group ETA had put some of its weapons beyond

use for the first time. Among the members of that commission was a

former senior Northern Ireland civil servant, Chris Maccabe, who has been

explaining to our political editor Mark Devenport how becoming an ETA

cease-fire monitor led to him being summoned to appear before a Spanish

court. Two masked men shall international

monitors a small portion of ETA's arsenal. After the monitor signed an

inventory, the arms are sealed and put beyond use. Sounds familiar?

That is no coincidence, as the Basque separatists are consciously

copping our example. Loyalists and republicans decommissioning their

guns. One big difference, unlike this general, the international

commissioners in Spain are not operating under any law granting

them special immunity. That's why three of them, including retired

senior Sol not -- Stormont official Chris Maccabe, found himself

summonsed to appear in front of the Margaret Court.

As I was about to leave and return home, I was served with a subpoena.

The court he was held at the request of the victims group who feel that

ETA and abusing the system. This woman's father was killed by the

Basque separatist group in 1980. We think that this commission has been

organised to serve the interest of ETA. Chris Maccabe was heartened by

the spontaneous good wishes he received from many ordinary Basques

and Spaniards. He is convinced he is doing the rate thing. The message

that we get is that dialogue is a way forward. There will be no

lasting peace while there are still ammunitions and artillery out there.

For those that are using and promoting violence, you need a

maintenance of that cease-fire. The Spanish government remains

unconvinced, but for now, both ETA and the international monitors

appear determined to export elements of our peace process to the Basque

region. New line Teachers unions say they are close to getting an

agreement on using a computer system which allows sick children to take

part in classes from home. As our education correspondent

Maggie Taggart reports, teachers have had concerns about this method,

but have been negotiating with employers.

16-year-old Amy has just finished ten months of treatment for

leukaemia. She sat her GCSEs from a hospital bed but her A-level studies

have fallen behind because she could not attend school. It has been very

difficult. From September when he should have started my exams, I

could not go to school because my immune system was 2-ball. I had to

try and teach myself. Every school has been eliminated equipment that

can allow children at home to share lessons at the same time as their

classmates but only a handful use it because they are not aware and

because some teacher unions have concerns over who can view the

lesson at the home of the people and whether the teachers' performance

and their virtual class can -- could be used against them. Amy believes

this delay is a lost opportunity. If I had and eliminate, I could have

been able to be in class without being present in class and I would

have been able to give the discussions going on and keep up

with where my class was at. I would not have got to the stage of where I

am on trying to catch up from that point. It is very stressful. It

should be available to every child that needs it.

It is in every school and available. It is just being blocked. Amy says

she has had great help from her school, Banbridge Academy, and has

just returned to. Is there. When she is not in school she is not entitled

to own tuition because of her age. Some bodies do not provide for

children unless they are of a certain age. They should. By not

providing this service, there is a big disservice.

A mate would still like the opportunity to learn at home with

eliminate. The Education Minister says

eliminate is not being used to its full potential and once a speedy

resolution to this situation. Both parties agree this is not the only

answer to every pupil who wants to work at home.

Northern Ireland's first integrated school, Lagan College, celebrated

the official opening of its new campus in the Castlereagh Hills

today with a special VIP. Our reporter Ita Dungan went along to

experience "The Supreme" visitor. 30 years ago, 28 pupils walked into

Northern Ireland's first integrated school. Today, in their new

multi-million pound campus, Mary Wilson, yes, she of the Supremes,

give it a little bit of extra soul. She told pupils a future together

was theirs to believe in. In order for it to change, the people

themselves will have to make that change. Especially the young

people. They must start to make their dreams come true and that the

bad things will no longer exist. It is up to those who are coming up now

to realise that they can make change. This 70-year-old still

appears to have it. She is amazing, really inspirational. It is amazing

how she has changed her life around. She has made it so far and then

sorbate. Dream about and it shows us and all of the other pupils that

dreams can come true. 12 number ones, a novelist, US goodwill

ambassador, Mary Wilson has gone from being a 70-year-old on the

projects of Detroit to the world superstar. -- 17-year-old. The

people say at Lagan College will hope that some of her spirit and

soul will rub off on them. In rugby, Tommy Bowe starts for

Ulster in the Pro 12 match against Newport Gwent Dragons tomorrow. He's

been recovering from a leg injury since November. But there's no place

for Nick Williams who is subject to an internal investigation into

"alleged unauthorised absence". Ireland's rugby players have been

training today in Belfast. Part of the session at Newforge was open to

the public, allowing schoolchildren to get close to their heroes.

Despite defeat to England, Ireland can still win the Six Nations

Championship and the mood in the camp is upbeat.

Yes, it has been brilliant, actually. Yesterday was a closed

session but today was my compensation, it is great to see so

many children here today, cheering us on. You have got to get yourself

back up for the next game. Last week was not good enough. There was a lot

of hard work done yesterday and today and that is what it is all

about, to prepare the best you can. We was celebrating some sunshine

today and there is more tomorrow but we firstly must get through this

chilly night. This is a beautiful picture sent by Trevor. Please keep

them coming. Following the cleaner skies today temperatures will drop

tonight and the Met Office warns that there could be some ice forming

on untreated roads and services where we had the showers today.

There will be fought and dense pockets of frost. Once the day gets

going, it will be much like today, plenty of dry weather on the cards

and it will brighten up the good spells of sunshine. We will always

keep on to this thread of one or two showers and like today, a few of

them could be wintry, especially for the higher ground. There could be a

mix of rain and hail for higher ground. Temperatures will be cooler

at around six or seven Celsius. Very little change as we end the day.

Tomorrow night we do it all again with temperatures plunging to

freezing and people, and again, where we have some of those showers,

there is the risk of ice forming. Some of frost and one or two pockets

of mist and fog. For the time being there is uncertainty over the

weather for this weekend but we expect this... The best time for

getting out and about, the dire times, that is the morning. Try and

walk your dog is in the morning. We expect clouds to Bush and during the

day on Saturday and Sunday and then there will be outbreaks of line as

well. If you prepare for unsettled weather, you should not be too

disappointed. Join us at 10:30pm. Goodbye.