:00:00. > :00:00.you can head to our website. Now on BBC One we join the
:00:00. > :00:25.This is BBC News line. The headlines: The first state visit by
:00:26. > :00:30.an Irish President to the United Kingdom has started.
:00:31. > :00:34.Already, Michael D Higgins has fulfilled a number of engagements,
:00:35. > :00:37.including an actress to both Houses of Parliament.
:00:38. > :00:40.The Florida gun Runner smuggling weapons for the IRA during the peace
:00:41. > :00:45.process speaks out for the first time.
:00:46. > :00:49.The row over posters about foreign workers in east Belfast. Join me at
:00:50. > :00:54.Augusta where a confident Rory McIlroy says he can become the first
:00:55. > :00:58.golfer from Northern Ireland to win the Masters. And not quite as chilly
:00:59. > :01:00.for tonight and tomorrow, but there'll be more cloud and patchy
:01:01. > :01:13.rain for some as well. Good evening. Or as the Queen said
:01:14. > :01:16.in her official Twitter feed earlier, Failte go Windsor, welcome
:01:17. > :01:20.to Windsor. Today at the start of the first
:01:21. > :01:26.state visit by an Irish President to the UK, we saw the sort of pomp and
:01:27. > :01:29.circumstance not normally associated with Anglo-Irish relations. Here at
:01:30. > :01:34.Windsor Castle, guests are arriving for the state banquet due to start
:01:35. > :01:38.at 8 o'clock. Among the guests will be the Deputy First Minister, Sinn
:01:39. > :01:43.Fein's Martin McGuinness. Here, sgrout side the castle walls, there
:01:44. > :01:47.is a protest -- here outside the castle walls, there is a protest,
:01:48. > :01:51.some have gathered representing the Omagh bombings and some killed in
:01:52. > :02:00.Birmingham pub bomb attacks and other atrocities.
:02:01. > :02:13.It's a return of of the visit the Queen made in 2011 yet it's so much
:02:14. > :02:19.more of that. For 800 years, Britain and Ireland shared a chequered
:02:20. > :02:21.history. With an 800-metre carriage rocket-propelled grenade, the Queen
:02:22. > :02:35.and the President sought to show that the old animosity had been
:02:36. > :02:42.Consigned to the past. Oh yay, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
:02:43. > :02:46.I will welcome Mr and Mrs Higgins as for the first time in our history...
:02:47. > :02:51.From early, crowds gathered to see the spectacle and welcome the
:02:52. > :02:55.President. Went down well the Queen going there
:02:56. > :03:00.last time, the Irish people welcomed her. We are returning it now. We've
:03:01. > :03:03.never had the Irish President here have we? It's something for the
:03:04. > :03:07.books. I think it's really important. One of the most important
:03:08. > :03:10.ones we've had here in Windsor and I'm local so I like to come to these
:03:11. > :03:15.events. The President was welcomed into the heart of the castle, formal
:03:16. > :03:20.duties followed. A review of the Guard of Honour and
:03:21. > :03:23.later, after a private lunch, a chance to view items from the Royal
:03:24. > :03:27.collection with an Irish significance.
:03:28. > :03:31.The visit is meant to demonstrate the depth of the limps between the
:03:32. > :03:34.countries and the vastly improved relationship they have built in
:03:35. > :03:37.recent years. At Westminster cathedral, there was
:03:38. > :03:42.a reminder of the days when the bullet and the bomb were part of
:03:43. > :03:46.Anglo-Irish relations. President Higgins paused in tribute at a
:03:47. > :03:51.memorial plaque for Lord Mountbatten, the Queen's cousin,
:03:52. > :03:55.murdered by the IRA in Sligo in 1979.
:03:56. > :03:59.Also in the cathedral, a wreath-living at the grave of the
:04:00. > :04:03.unknown warrior. A recognition of the role of Irish soldiers who died
:04:04. > :04:08.in the service of the British Army in the Great War.
:04:09. > :04:13.And then it was on to the Palace of Westminster for an address to
:04:14. > :04:19.members of both the Commons and The Lord's. We have a fresh canvas on
:04:20. > :04:24.which to sketch our shared hopes and which to advance our overlapping
:04:25. > :04:29.ambitions. What we now enjoy between Ireland and Britain is a friendly
:04:30. > :04:33.cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and deep and
:04:34. > :04:35.indelible personal links that bind us together in cultural and social
:04:36. > :04:40.terms. In an hour-and-a-half, the focus
:04:41. > :04:44.will switch back here to Windsor Castle, 160 specially invited guests
:04:45. > :04:47.will attend a state banquet at which both the President and the Queen
:04:48. > :04:50.will speak. Their comments are expected to
:04:51. > :04:58.reflect the theme of this visit, one of mutual respect.
:04:59. > :05:02.A Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament are back here to
:05:03. > :05:06.Windsor for tonight's Newsnight programme, the deputy first, many
:05:07. > :05:10.Martin McGuinness, was asked by Jeremy Paxman at tonight's state
:05:11. > :05:16.banquet here at Windsor Castle, when there's a loyal toast, would he
:05:17. > :05:20.stand up and toast the Queen. I will absolutely observe all of the
:05:21. > :05:24.protocols and civilities that are conducted in the course of that
:05:25. > :05:29.event to honour the President of Ireland. The President of Ireland?
:05:30. > :05:35.Yes, well the dinner is basically an honour. But you wouldn't toast the
:05:36. > :05:41.Queen? Well, if there's a toast to Queen, I'll observe all the
:05:42. > :05:46.civilities and protocols. You can see all of that interview on BBC Two
:05:47. > :05:50.at 10. 30 tonight. This visit will reconnect with the artistic and
:05:51. > :05:53.working life of Britain. Today was very much about the political.
:05:54. > :05:57.Stephen Walker, or political reporter, is at Westminster where
:05:58. > :06:01.the President addressed both Houses of Parliament. Stephen, how do you
:06:02. > :06:06.think the speech went? What stands out, in your view? I was struck by
:06:07. > :06:10.the large number of historical references, the whole speech was
:06:11. > :06:13.littered with historical references. He talked about the history of
:06:14. > :06:19.democracy, the history of the House of Commons, he mentioned the Magna
:06:20. > :06:23.Carta, talked ability countess Markovic and national MPs and Daniel
:06:24. > :06:29.O'Connell, then he fast-forwarded to the Good Friday Agreement and talked
:06:30. > :06:35.about how the historical events affected British/Irish relations and
:06:36. > :06:40.the history of Britain and Ireland. The Anglo-Irish relationship was the
:06:41. > :06:45.recurring theme? It was throughout the entire speech. He talked about
:06:46. > :06:49.how his siblings settled until Britain. He talked about the bad old
:06:50. > :06:53.days when the relationship wasn't good and then about how the
:06:54. > :06:58.relationship was much better in recent years. He used a lyrical
:06:59. > :07:01.phrase where he talked about sketching fresh canvas so very much
:07:02. > :07:04.the whole relationship of Britain and Ireland was a recurring theme of
:07:05. > :07:09.this speech. And how was the address received?
:07:10. > :07:12.It was very well received. If you looked at the Royal Gallery, it was
:07:13. > :07:15.standing room only, the great and the good were there, the Prime
:07:16. > :07:18.Minister, David Cameron, was there, the Leader of the Opposition Ed
:07:19. > :07:23.Miliband was there, there were lots of local MPs there as well, so it
:07:24. > :07:28.was standing room only. He was very well received, there was a good
:07:29. > :07:32.introduction from John Bercow and President Higgins at the end was
:07:33. > :07:36.given a standing ovation. Thank you. That's all from Windsor
:07:37. > :07:39.for moment. Join me later when we look in more detail at the
:07:40. > :07:46.importance of this state visit. For now, back to Belfast and to Tara.
:07:47. > :07:49.Tonight's Spotlight investigation from Florida features an exclusive
:07:50. > :07:54.interview with a gun runner who armed the IRA during the peace
:07:55. > :07:57.process. Mike Logan was granted immunity from prosecution by the
:07:58. > :08:01.American Government in return for information.
:08:02. > :08:12.The programme also blames the IRA boss at time accused of ordering
:08:13. > :08:17.guns over a period. Spotlight's Mandy Macaulay has more.
:08:18. > :08:22.Mike Logan started gun running for the IRA a year after they called
:08:23. > :08:26.their ceasefire. I was told to ignore my headlines and keep sending
:08:27. > :08:32.guns. From 1995 to 1999, he posted around
:08:33. > :08:38.200 guns to the IRA in toy fire engines. I was a regular customer
:08:39. > :08:44.here. Sometimes I would buy four or five at a time. Brought them home,
:08:45. > :08:49.the kids would play with them, then I would pack 'em up and ship 'em
:08:50. > :08:55.off. Mike lowingle said his contact in the IRA was this man, Sean Spike
:08:56. > :08:59.Murray, now at the heart of the peace process. Nevers the Sinn Fein
:09:00. > :09:02.delegation as part of the recent talks and is involved in a variety
:09:03. > :09:08.of groups dealing with cross community and parading issues. Mike
:09:09. > :09:14.Logan said Sean Murray was security conscious in his dealings with him.
:09:15. > :09:16.The IRA believe that there was British surveillance everywhere,
:09:17. > :09:25.that they could hear through the walls with different Quiess and so
:09:26. > :09:31.forth -- devices. Mike Logan tells Spotlight that Sean Murray let him
:09:32. > :09:35.know one of his guns was used in the double murder of two RUC officers.
:09:36. > :09:39.We start with the murders of two policemen in Lurgan. They were on
:09:40. > :09:52.foot patrol when they were shot at close range.
:09:53. > :09:58.He would break down. He'd tell me which weapons had been received. He
:09:59. > :10:05.circled a couple and he said "that one there" had been used -- he would
:10:06. > :10:09.write down. Sean Murray declined to be interview bid Spotlight and said
:10:10. > :10:13.our accusations were without foundation. He went on to say he'd
:10:14. > :10:17.never been arrested, detained or interviewed about any of the
:10:18. > :10:23.allegations and that the PSNI would have acted if there had been any
:10:24. > :10:30.evidence. He told us his focus was and remains on helping the peace
:10:31. > :10:34.processes. You can see that special Spotlight investigation tonight at
:10:35. > :10:38.10. 35 after our late news here on BBC One.
:10:39. > :10:42.One of two men ordered to pay over ?1.5 million in damages to the
:10:43. > :10:47.families of those killed in the Omagh bombing is being questioned by
:10:48. > :10:52.police about the Real IRA attack in August 1998. Seamus Daly was
:10:53. > :10:56.arrested in Newry yesterday and is being questioned by detectives at
:10:57. > :11:04.the serious crime suite in Antrim. A man is being reported missing in the
:11:05. > :11:09.area close warren Point harbour. The 34-year-old was last seen at 4. 45
:11:10. > :11:13.on Sunday afternoon. He was wearing dark jeans and a dark top. Police
:11:14. > :11:17.have asked anyone who knows where he is to contact them. The Enterprise
:11:18. > :11:23.Minister has said it's wrong for people to say there should only be
:11:24. > :11:29.local jobs for Lib Dem people. It comes after posters calling for --
:11:30. > :11:35.local people. It comes after posters were put up. They were described as
:11:36. > :11:39.racist. These are some of the posters
:11:40. > :11:42.plastered around east Belfast. Although they don't say it, what
:11:43. > :11:46.they are complain being about is workers being brought in from
:11:47. > :11:52.outside the area to complete a contract on an oil rig.
:11:53. > :11:56.It's no secret that most of the 600 people employed to work on the
:11:57. > :11:59.refurbishment of this rig were recruited from Great Britain and
:12:00. > :12:03.mainland Europe. When the company announced the deal last year, they
:12:04. > :12:10.said because of a skills shortage, only a third of those needed could
:12:11. > :12:13.be found in Northern Ireland. East Belfast community worker Jim Wilson
:12:14. > :12:17.says the posters are a sign of people's anger.
:12:18. > :12:20.There is no doubt there is a stills shortage in Northern Ireland now,
:12:21. > :12:24.it's obvious there is. The number of people we have at the shipyard don't
:12:25. > :12:28.have the skills but there are still skills there. If there isn't, why
:12:29. > :12:35.are we not training our children to accommodate the skills, give them
:12:36. > :12:40.what they need to go on to the rigs and work. The company says they
:12:41. > :12:44.provide local employment opportunities through their supply
:12:45. > :12:48.chain and the service sector, a sentiment echoed by the Enterprise
:12:49. > :12:53.Minister, Arlene Foster, at Stormont earlier today. I think it's wrong
:12:54. > :12:56.for us to say we only want jobs in Northern Ireland for Northern
:12:57. > :12:59.Ireland people. We want people to come to Northern Ireland and share
:13:00. > :13:03.skills and experiences with us in Northern Ireland to build up the
:13:04. > :13:07.Northern Ireland workforce so that we can be competitive and global.
:13:08. > :13:14.Others though believe that the posters are more sinister. They
:13:15. > :13:19.believe they send out a racist message. Putting up the
:13:20. > :13:23.unsubstantiated lies, accusations of immigrants coming into Northern
:13:24. > :13:31.Ireland, particularly at a time when we have seen recent racist
:13:32. > :13:38.incidents, is only going to heighten tension and cause undue fear with
:13:39. > :13:42.the immigrant community. Police say although the posters had been
:13:43. > :13:44.reported to them as a hate crime, they've concluded that no crime has
:13:45. > :13:51.been committed. A family - including two young
:13:52. > :13:54.children - have been threatened in their home during a robbery. They
:13:55. > :13:57.were returning to their house at Fernridge Road in Newtownabbey in
:13:58. > :14:00.the early hours. They were approached by masked men carrying a
:14:01. > :14:04.gun. The father was beaten about the legs during the incident - and all
:14:05. > :14:07.four members of the family were tied up while the men ransacked the
:14:08. > :14:10.house. The gang got away with jewellery, money and a car. The
:14:11. > :14:13.Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry has heard that nuns provided
:14:14. > :14:18.cheap childcare services to the state during the last century. The
:14:19. > :14:21.Inquiry is examining claims of abuse at 13 homes and training centres
:14:22. > :14:32.here from 1922 to 1995. Kevin Sharkey was at today's hearing. The
:14:33. > :14:37.living conditions at Termonbacca boys' home and Nazareth House were
:14:38. > :14:43.under review again today. Giving evidence was a retired director of
:14:44. > :14:47.the social services trust who worked with some children during the 70s
:14:48. > :14:53.and 80s. There have been allegations of sexual, physical and mental abuse
:14:54. > :14:56.at these two homes. Today the retired official was asked for his
:14:57. > :15:00.observation about Termonbacca he said he thought the atmosphere there
:15:01. > :15:07.caring and welcoming. The witness was questioned by the chairman about
:15:08. > :15:11.the amount paid to homes run by nuns, compared to fees at state
:15:12. > :15:16.homes. He was asked ills it a case that the state was getting child
:15:17. > :15:23.care on the cheap? Yes, the witness replied. He said this was possible
:15:24. > :15:29.because nuns provided charitable and voluntary services to the state. The
:15:30. > :15:33.former Chief Medical Officer of England will head a group of experts
:15:34. > :15:35.to consider improvements to the way the health service is run in
:15:36. > :15:39.Northern Ireland. The announcement came along with the publication of a
:15:40. > :15:41.review into the A at the Royal Victoria Hospital. Our Health
:15:42. > :15:50.correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly reports. While still on the subject
:15:51. > :15:56.of hospitals and emergency care, today was about making announcements
:15:57. > :16:01.signposting ways forward and highlighting solutions. Showing he
:16:02. > :16:07.meant business the Health Minister sa patient care must come first and
:16:08. > :16:11.he was pulling out all stops to achieve that. Edwin Poots published
:16:12. > :16:17.a range of actions. The most significant was to commission Sir
:16:18. > :16:23.Liam Donaldson to assess thousand health service should be governed.
:16:24. > :16:34.The RQIA to undertake a programme of inspections.
:16:35. > :16:42.The regulator's full report on the royal emphasised poor staffing
:16:43. > :16:46.#4re68s, too much emphasis on targets and low morale. The
:16:47. > :16:51.announcements couldn't be more timely with Belfast hosting tomorrow
:16:52. > :16:56.a summit on emergency care. Consultants will discuss a range of
:16:57. > :17:01.issue, including staffing, funding and patient safety. An indication of
:17:02. > :17:05.just how fragile things are, the entire summit, which involves the
:17:06. > :17:19.Health Minister, is to be held in private. Back to Donna now at
:17:20. > :17:21.Windsor. Guests continue to arrive here at Windsor for this evening's
:17:22. > :17:33.reception marking President Higgins' State visit to the UK. It's
:17:34. > :17:36.impossible to escape history here. We've compiled just some of the
:17:37. > :17:38.images of major events in Anglo Irish history over the last 100
:17:39. > :19:44.years. Professor Richard Burke is with me.
:19:45. > :19:50.It has been a long and difficult journey to get us to this day. How
:19:51. > :19:55.do you think the state visit will be written in the history books? I
:19:56. > :20:01.don't think it is the most epic development in the history of Anglo
:20:02. > :20:05.Irish relationships. But it does restore diplomatic normality between
:20:06. > :20:10.the two states and that has to be seen as a Sigg captain develop --
:20:11. > :20:17.significant development. It seemed as relaxed as the Queen's visit to
:20:18. > :20:21.the republic in 2011? Yes I think the Queen's visit was anticipated
:20:22. > :20:27.with greater trepidation and therefore relief that it passed off
:20:28. > :20:30.so well. In this case, I don't think there were expectations of any great
:20:31. > :20:35.problem and therefore I think it was expected to be more relaxed and it
:20:36. > :20:40.was so. They will see this visit as successful, the diplomats, but what
:20:41. > :20:44.about the problems in Northern Ireland? How do you think that will
:20:45. > :20:51.affect Anglo Irish relations as they move on? Well those problems still
:20:52. > :20:56.exist. There are problems of sectarianism and political problems
:20:57. > :21:01.and there is bitterness among victims of the Troubles. But
:21:02. > :21:09.improved relations can only contribute positively to wards a
:21:10. > :21:15.good outlook into the future. Thank you. And one final bit of
:21:16. > :21:18.Anglo-Irish affairs. The Republic will host England for a friendly
:21:19. > :21:22.football international in Dublin in June next year - 20 years after a
:21:23. > :21:35.match at Lansdowne Road had to be abandoned because of crowd trouble.
:21:36. > :21:40.The two heads of state here today forged a greater alliance, I think
:21:41. > :21:44.though that on that day on match day, the old allegiances will be
:21:45. > :21:51.exactly the same as they always have been. That is a bit of sports news.
:21:52. > :21:53.Back now to Tara who has some more immediate sports' news. Northern
:21:54. > :21:57.Ireland's three golfing champions tee off in the first major of the
:21:58. > :22:01.year - the US Masters - later this week. With the world number one
:22:02. > :22:04.Tiger Woods missing through injury, the tournament favourite is now
:22:05. > :22:07.Holywood's Rory McIlroy. After a turbulent year in 2013, the
:22:08. > :22:12.24-year-old is showing a return to his best form. And in a special
:22:13. > :22:16.interview for BBC Newsline, McIlroy says he's ready to win a green
:22:17. > :22:25.jacket - the famous prize for the Masters champion. Stephen Watson
:22:26. > :22:29.reports from Augusta. Augusta national golf club is a unique
:22:30. > :22:35.sporting venue. Only the world's very best players receive an
:22:36. > :22:40.invitation to take part in its annual event. Rory McIlroy arrives
:22:41. > :22:46.here as tournament favourite, confident of mounting a Masters'
:22:47. > :22:51.challenge. Hitting the ball well, I feel probably the most comfortable I
:22:52. > :22:56.have felt coming into Augusta. I feel similar to how I arrived in 11.
:22:57. > :23:01.So it is more managing expectations when you feel like you're playing
:23:02. > :23:06.well and you feel you just have to keep dining what your doing and
:23:07. > :23:14.conserve enough energy and put it into the four tournaments days. How
:23:15. > :23:21.much does Major experience count and Augusta experience? Yes, 22nd Major,
:23:22. > :23:25.but it is my sixth Masters. Each year you get more comfortable with
:23:26. > :23:30.your surroundings. That is more important than I should be at the
:23:31. > :23:33.point where I'm comfortable with the course and know what I'm doing out
:23:34. > :23:38.there. So three years ago I had a great chance to win and it didn't
:23:39. > :23:42.quite happen. If I get myself in that position again, I will be able
:23:43. > :23:46.to handle it better than a few years ago. So difficult to watch the
:23:47. > :23:53.youngster unravelling. Since then, Rory McIlroy has had double Major
:23:54. > :23:57.success to add to that of Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke. Northern
:23:58. > :24:02.Ireland golfers have won three of the four Majors, what would it mean
:24:03. > :24:07.to complete a Northern Ireland golfing Grand Slam? It would be mean
:24:08. > :24:11.an awful lot. For Northern Ireland, to have won all four Majors if it
:24:12. > :24:17.did happen, would be a very good feat for a small country. So it
:24:18. > :24:23.would be a great thing to achieve and you know I'm one of three guys
:24:24. > :24:28.that could maybe do it this week. There are starms approaching the --
:24:29. > :24:34.storms approaching the area. Bad weather made day one was a wash out.
:24:35. > :24:39.Practice curtailed and spectators evacuated from the course.
:24:40. > :24:43.Thankfully the skies are much brighter today and there is a more
:24:44. > :24:47.favourable forecast for the rest of the week. When Rory McIlroy is
:24:48. > :24:55.hoping to shine and see his name at top of the Masters leader board.
:24:56. > :25:00.Let's take a look at the weather now, here's Angie. The clouds are
:25:01. > :25:05.rolling back in after a bright day. We did have that fresh and cool
:25:06. > :25:09.westerly breeze, which did bring showers. Burr they were small
:25:10. > :25:13.showers and they have been fading away. There is still a hint of
:25:14. > :25:18.brightness in a few spots. But the clouds gathering from the north and
:25:19. > :25:23.west. They will bring patchy rain across Donegal and then through the
:25:24. > :25:27.night we will get some into Londonderry and along the north
:25:28. > :25:31.coast. But not amounting to a great deal and it is milder than last
:25:32. > :25:36.night with temperatures around eight degrees. Tomorrow, we are looking at
:25:37. > :25:41.cloudy skies. We will have a good deal of dry weather. But it is a
:25:42. > :25:46.slow start. It is grey with rain and drizzle during the morning. But they
:25:47. > :25:52.will be clearing. By the time we get into the afternoon, apart from the
:25:53. > :25:57.odd shower, it is mainly dry with a few bright intervals. But more cloud
:25:58. > :26:03.than sunshine. Temperatures are a bit up on today. We could hit 14
:26:04. > :26:08.degrees. We still have that breeze. The reason for the dry weather is a
:26:09. > :26:13.ridge of high pressure. Through tomorrow night and into Thursday we
:26:14. > :26:19.have a weak front edging in from the north-west. That will bring mainly
:26:20. > :26:23.light rain. But as a result it means tomorrow night once again is going
:26:24. > :26:29.to be on the mild side. So that is how we start Thursday. Dull and
:26:30. > :26:33.damp. And it could take for a food -- good part of morning before it
:26:34. > :26:40.clears. But it looks as though it will cool down and there will be a
:26:41. > :26:46.few sharp showers. On Friday it is looking dry. Here at Windsor it has
:26:47. > :26:50.been a dry but sort of cool start to the Irish president's first state
:26:51. > :26:56.visit to the UK. The guests who are arriving for the state banquet and I
:26:57. > :27:02.have a f figures I thought you might be interested in. The 160 guests
:27:03. > :27:07.will sit at a table that is 55 metres long. That is a big table. It
:27:08. > :27:15.has taken them two days to lay it out and they have done it with
:27:16. > :27:18.precision with very expensive China silver and glass ware. I was talking
:27:19. > :27:23.to one member of staff and asked them I wouldn't be wanting to do the
:27:24. > :27:28.washing up with that expensive glass ware. He winked. I said, what are
:27:29. > :27:36.you talking about? He said I will let you in on a secret. Its all
:27:37. > :27:42.washed by hand in rubber sinks! That is what will happen at the banquet.
:27:43. > :27:44.We will cover this at 10. 25. For now, good evening.