:00:00. > :00:00.keep you updated online. That
:00:00. > :00:20.Good evening. The headlines on BBC Newsline. The police apply for more
:00:21. > :00:31.time to question the Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams. It has
:00:32. > :00:39.prompted an angry reaction from Sinn Fein. There is a cabal in the PSNI
:00:40. > :00:45.who have a different agenda. A negative and destructive agenda to
:00:46. > :00:50.build the peace process and to Sinn Fein. Gerry Adams was supposed to be
:00:51. > :00:56.an Dundalk today. I have been getting reaction in the town to the
:00:57. > :01:00.events. Also on the programme. A call for a change in the law. This
:01:01. > :01:05.pensioner says she was denied an operation because she's over 70.
:01:06. > :01:14.They only considered by age, they did not consider me as a person.
:01:15. > :01:19.Johann Muller prepares to bid farewell to Ravenhill. And it's a
:01:20. > :01:23.Bank Holiday weekend so of course there will be some rain but also a
:01:24. > :01:30.fair amount of dry weather. I'll have your forecast later. The police
:01:31. > :01:33.went to court today to ask a judge for permission to detain Gerry Adams
:01:34. > :01:37.for longer. They are questioning him about the murder of Jean McConville
:01:38. > :01:40.in 1972. The Sinn Fein President has been under arrest in the police
:01:41. > :01:53.holding centre at Antrim since Wednesday. Our reporter Claire
:01:54. > :01:57.Savage is there. There is still a large media presence outside the
:01:58. > :02:06.police station in antrum and Gerry Adams is still being detained in the
:02:07. > :02:15.building behind me. -- Antrim. The PSNI have asked for more time to
:02:16. > :02:19.question Gerry Adams. They want more time to question him. If they do not
:02:20. > :02:25.get that application approved and if it is not granted, they will have to
:02:26. > :02:31.release or charge Gerry Adams by 8pm. At that hearing in the High
:02:32. > :02:37.Court in Belfast, it is still ongoing. Gerry Adams is being
:02:38. > :02:42.detained under very Terrorism Act and he could be held at the
:02:43. > :02:48.application is granted up to 26 days. In a separate development
:02:49. > :02:56.today, the former IRA member Peter Rogers has revealed that he was
:02:57. > :03:01.approached by a PSNI Historical Enquiries Team detected to ask if he
:03:02. > :03:07.wanted to give a statement about the transportation of explosives to
:03:08. > :03:11.Britain in 1980. Last month, Peter Rogers told us that he had been
:03:12. > :03:16.ordered to transport those explosives by Gerry Adams and Martin
:03:17. > :03:21.McGuiness. That is something that both those men deny. He said that he
:03:22. > :03:26.would not be giving a statement to the PSNI detective as he said that
:03:27. > :03:33.the incident took place south of the border. The Deputy First Minister
:03:34. > :03:36.has said if matters surrounding Gerry Adams' detention don't work
:03:37. > :03:39.out the way Sinn Fein believes it should, his party will review the
:03:40. > :03:42.situation. Martin McGuinness said Sinn Fein will do that in the
:03:43. > :03:46.context of continuing its role in the peace process. We have more
:03:47. > :03:55.revelations this evening about the political background to the Sinn
:03:56. > :03:57.Fein President's detention. It's also emerged that some records about
:03:58. > :04:00.Royal Pardons during the peace process are missing. Here's our
:04:01. > :04:02.political correspondent Martina Purdy on today's developments. This
:04:03. > :04:07.is the image of Gerry Adams his party wants to portray, a peacemaker
:04:08. > :04:12.who has been big demise by what Sinn Fein claims is dark forces,
:04:13. > :04:19.anti-peace and anti-Sinn Fein. At a news conference this afternoon,
:04:20. > :04:25.Martin McGuiness vented his anger that Gerry Adams is facing a third
:04:26. > :04:28.night in police custody. There is a cabal in the PSNI and
:04:29. > :04:30.night in police custody. There is a different agenda, and negative and
:04:31. > :04:38.destructive agenda to both the different agenda, and negative and
:04:39. > :04:44.process and to Sinn Fein. Willie, under the leadership of Gerry Adams,
:04:45. > :04:50.have no attention whatsoever to allow these elements to succeed --
:04:51. > :04:54.we, under the leadership. Martin McGuiness hinted that Sinn Fein's
:04:55. > :04:59.support for policing could be affected if the outcome of the
:05:00. > :05:04.current situation was not resolved satisfactorily or -- in a
:05:05. > :05:10.satisfactory way. We would have to review that situation in the context
:05:11. > :05:14.of continuing with our very positive role within what is vitally
:05:15. > :05:19.important peace process. Earlier the Secretary of State explained by the
:05:20. > :05:23.Prime Minister had telephoned Peter Robinson and Martin McGuiness after
:05:24. > :05:30.the arrest of Gerry Adams. We are keen to ensure that the reaction to
:05:31. > :05:34.this case is a measured one. We want to ensure that the political leaders
:05:35. > :05:39.continue to work together for the good of Northern Ireland. We
:05:40. > :05:45.appreciate the sensitivity and seriousness of this situation and
:05:46. > :05:50.that is why he was in gauging with Peter Robinson and Martin McGuiness.
:05:51. > :05:56.Did you have advanced knowledge of this? I was told on Monday that it
:05:57. > :06:01.was expected that Gerry Adams would be questioned about Jean McConville.
:06:02. > :06:11.I was told by one of my officials who had been informed by the PSNI.
:06:12. > :06:15.What was your response? I noted its and started to think through
:06:16. > :06:20.potential consequences. Just weeks after celebrations around a new
:06:21. > :06:24.relationships, there are new revelations this evening involving
:06:25. > :06:30.Royal pardons. The Secretary of State in a written parliamentary
:06:31. > :06:36.answer to Kate Hoey revealed 365 Royal pardons were issued in
:06:37. > :06:42.Northern Ireland between 1979 and 2002. It was also revealed that no
:06:43. > :06:47.records can be found between 1987 and 1997 and there is no information
:06:48. > :06:51.to say whether paramilitaries received these pardons. The
:06:52. > :06:57.government seems to have last ten years of records of something which
:06:58. > :07:00.is hugely important. The Queen presumably signed these. How can
:07:01. > :07:15.they be lost? We want to know how many there are wire and who they
:07:16. > :07:18.were and why they were given a pardon. This is something that the
:07:19. > :07:20.public needs to know. We want transparency and honesty. Peter
:07:21. > :07:22.Robinson says he wants the matter investigated. I do not believe there
:07:23. > :07:26.were no such records. Government was not have a record of each occasion
:07:27. > :07:35.when her maddest is asked to sign the Royal prerogative of Mercy, it
:07:36. > :07:40.not possible -- the Queen. It is a matter for further attempts by
:07:41. > :07:43.enquiries. By the ministers are far apart on policing, they did unite
:07:44. > :07:50.this evening, opening a new stand at Ravenhill. Central to the
:07:51. > :07:52.investigation into the murder of Jean McConville are interviews,
:07:53. > :07:55.which have become known as the Boston Tapes. The project launched
:07:56. > :07:57.by Boston College 13 years ago, involved former republican and
:07:58. > :08:03.loyalist paramilitaries chronicling their involvement in the Troubles.
:08:04. > :08:06.In 2010, claims by the former IRA man Brendan Hughes about Mrs
:08:07. > :08:09.McConville's murder were published in a book based on the Boston
:08:10. > :08:13.project. Those claims led to the police here to begin legal action to
:08:14. > :08:16.access the college interviews. Last year, a US Appeal Court ruled that
:08:17. > :08:19.interviews must be handed over and after studying them the police began
:08:20. > :08:31.the process of questioning people about Jean McConville's murder. The
:08:32. > :08:35.Belfast mother's remains were found by chance 11 years ago at Shelling
:08:36. > :08:38.Hill Beach in County Louth. As a TD, Gerry Adams now represents that
:08:39. > :08:41.constituency. BBC Newsline's Mark Simpson visited the town of Dundalk
:08:42. > :08:55.today to gauge reaction to Mr Adam's arrest. 60 miles from the serious
:08:56. > :09:00.crime suite in antrum, -- Antrim, this is where Gerry Adams was
:09:01. > :09:04.supposed to be, helping a party colleague canvas for elections. A
:09:05. > :09:08.recent opinion poll suggested he was the most popular party leader in the
:09:09. > :09:14.South at the moment, Sinn Fein support here is growing, including
:09:15. > :09:21.amongst young people. We'll be arrest of Gerry Adams damage the
:09:22. > :09:25.party in the Republic? Probably not that much. Gerry Adams handed
:09:26. > :09:33.himself in, it is not that big a deal. I know there is a Sinn Fein
:09:34. > :09:38.society here, a lot more young people are swayed that way. They are
:09:39. > :09:43.not bothered with the past. The arrest of Gerry Adams came too late
:09:44. > :09:48.for the weekly newspaper here. Is the story having a big impact?
:09:49. > :09:53.People here have made up their minds about him and Sinn Fein. You choose
:09:54. > :09:57.to believe what version of the story you believe. You either believe he
:09:58. > :10:13.was a member of the IRA or you do not. It is in the public domain. Ten
:10:14. > :10:16.miles from the centre of Dundalk, this is the beach where Jean
:10:17. > :10:17.McConville's body was secretly buried. What happened here more than
:10:18. > :10:22.40 years ago, is still relevant today. A reminder of how the past is
:10:23. > :10:26.casting a shadow on the present. This is the only part of the UK
:10:27. > :10:30.where people can be legally discriminated against on the basis
:10:31. > :10:33.of their age. The charity Age NI has called for an urgent change in the
:10:34. > :10:36.law following what happened to an 81-year-old woman from County
:10:37. > :10:40.Fermanagh. She says she was told she'd have to wait more than a year
:10:41. > :10:48.for a hip replacement because she's over the age of 70. BBC Newsline's
:10:49. > :10:52.Tara Mills has the details. Pat Kelso would put many younger people
:10:53. > :10:57.to shame, fit and healthy she has looked after herself throughout her
:10:58. > :11:02.81 years, but when she needed a hip replacement she felt the hospital
:11:03. > :11:09.treated her age instead of her. If you are old, you're putting --
:11:10. > :11:14.clinically unfit. This does not fit everyone. We are individuals. The
:11:15. > :11:19.elderly are also individuals. She went on to have the operation
:11:20. > :11:23.privately but knows that is not an option for everyone. I had
:11:24. > :11:38.sufficient savings, I had a supportive family. There are other
:11:39. > :11:42.elderly people who are as fit and in one case, a lady of 89 years old who
:11:43. > :11:44.is better than me and had to go through the same procedure. There
:11:45. > :11:47.are some people who may not have that money. It is very unfair. I
:11:48. > :11:52.would like them to give everyone the opportunity to at least be medically
:11:53. > :11:59.assessed before they decide that you are over the hill, on the scrapheap.
:12:00. > :12:05.In a statement, the health trust says it does not use age as a
:12:06. > :12:11.discriminative -- as a factor. But they would not comment further. A
:12:12. > :12:15.local charity says it is time for it the Executive to act. We were
:12:16. > :12:20.promised that the Assembly would deliver. This has to be a priority
:12:21. > :12:26.for older people. Older people are worried. Pat Kelso and her family
:12:27. > :12:29.say this case goes far beyond the individual health trust and they say
:12:30. > :12:37.it is a reflection of how older people are treated in Northern
:12:38. > :12:40.Ireland today. The police are still asking for information about a hate
:12:41. > :12:43.crime in east Belfast earlier this week when a Romanian man was
:12:44. > :12:47.attacked, and excrement thrown in his face. It throws into stark focus
:12:48. > :12:50.some of the problems facing people born in other countries who come to
:12:51. > :12:53.settle here. The police have launched what they call Operation
:12:54. > :12:56.Orion to tackle such hate crimes. And it's in that atmosphere that the
:12:57. > :12:59.Polish community has begun it's latest Cultural Week, well aware of
:13:00. > :13:05.what some of their community suffers. Will Leitch has been
:13:06. > :13:11.finding out more. This is Polish cultural week, chance
:13:12. > :13:16.to showcase their culture. Poland has been in the EU for ten years, it
:13:17. > :13:20.is a chance to challenge negative perceptions and attitudes, how do
:13:21. > :13:29.you go about doing that? I have been to meet one Belfast Polish family
:13:30. > :13:35.who already are doing it. Polish, living here for over a
:13:36. > :13:38.decade, and with three Belfast born bilingual children. They are
:13:39. > :13:42.determined that the Polish cultural week will make a difference, after
:13:43. > :13:49.all the work of settling in to life here. When I came here, I learned
:13:50. > :13:53.English, at school, and university, but, English from Cambridge and
:13:54. > :13:58.Oxford books and not much conversation, so when you come here
:13:59. > :14:03.and you it's round the corner, you don't know what they are saying.
:14:04. > :14:07.Marta runs her own business, a stall at St George's market. He her
:14:08. > :14:15.husband works in tech support, they know about the racist attacks which
:14:16. > :14:23.can happen to people like them. With time, hopefully, you know, we will
:14:24. > :14:31.find things we can share. That fear, why are people scared of, you are
:14:32. > :14:37.difference so I will put, set your car on fire, you know. Where does
:14:38. > :14:40.that come from? For this family it is important to be part of this
:14:41. > :14:47.community, while remembering their own language, culture and history.
:14:48. > :14:51.My thanks to that family, over the next week or two in venues in I a
:14:52. > :14:55.cross Belfast you can enjoy Polish film, theatre music, exhibitions and
:14:56. > :15:02.workshop, even some sporting fixtures.
:15:03. > :15:06.The Northern Ireland Conservatives have launched their manifesto for
:15:07. > :15:10.the European and local elections on the 22nd May. On local Government,
:15:11. > :15:15.they say they will fight for low cost off street parking for the
:15:16. > :15:19.needs of business. Put job creation at the heart of council development
:15:20. > :15:22.and economic plans and prior ties attracting tourists to communities
:15:23. > :15:26.in Northern Ireland. On Europe, as part of the wider Conservative Party
:15:27. > :15:30.they say they are offering a referendum for a reformed EU and
:15:31. > :15:33.change through funding initiatives that will help rebalance the
:15:34. > :15:38.economy. There is change we heed to implement
:15:39. > :15:41.in Northern Ireland, for a centre-right party, the only right
:15:42. > :15:45.of enter party, the only party that is totally focussed on the economy,
:15:46. > :15:49.totally focussed on education, totally focussed on job, jobs and
:15:50. > :15:53.more jobs and we won't hideaway from reforming welfare.
:15:54. > :15:57.Because I believe that reforming welfare is as important to the
:15:58. > :16:05.problems %ty and economic growth of Northern Ireland as corporation tax.
:16:06. > :16:08.There are festivals for music, literature force, drama but this
:16:09. > :16:12.week the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast rolls them into one, not
:16:13. > :16:20.only that, it runs alongside a festival of very foolish acts. Our
:16:21. > :16:24.arts correspondent reports. On its 15th birthday the festival
:16:25. > :16:28.which prides itself on having a little bit of anarchy is a fixture
:16:29. > :16:35.of the entertainment calendar. Among the 120 shows, a few veteran
:16:36. > :16:43.performer, the 74-year-old drummer ginger baker and 72-year-old Martha
:16:44. > :16:48.Reeves are selling well. -- ginger Baker. There are is plenty
:16:49. > :16:53.of youthful entertain. . Kath Ryan Ryan has sold out and the festival
:16:54. > :16:58.has reached its target for ticket sales. My name is Catherine Ryan,
:16:59. > :17:04.what is yours? Shout it out. I talk funny because I am from Canada. We
:17:05. > :17:09.try to keep tickets affordable. We are in a great low care, everybody
:17:10. > :17:13.can get to the city centre t spirit of the festival is anarchic and a
:17:14. > :17:17.bit subversive and people like that. There is no excuse for not being
:17:18. > :17:22.entertained in Belfast this next while, who whether it is watching
:17:23. > :17:25.act from across the world or more than 100 shows in the Cathedral
:17:26. > :17:31.Quarter festival, you are spoilt for choice.
:17:32. > :17:37.An Italian job has left the Ulster rugby team sitting pretty a ahead of
:17:38. > :17:43.tonight's derby against Leinster. Mark is sheer with the sport.
:17:44. > :17:48.#12k3w4 the Zebre outfit trampled the Ospreys in Italy and that means
:17:49. > :17:52.Ulster now need just one point from their remaining two Pro12 matches to
:17:53. > :17:56.make the play-offs. Leinster are the visitors tonight in what is like to
:17:57. > :18:02.be a last Ravenhill outing for Johann Muller.
:18:03. > :18:09.In his final team talk the big captain's message to the players
:18:10. > :18:10.will be a simple one. Win. LAUGHTER
:18:11. > :18:16.Yes, obviously that is the fist one, we want to win, we want to go out on
:18:17. > :18:20.a high, at Ravenhill for the season. It is the opening of the new stand,
:18:21. > :18:24.it will be a great atmosphere within the stadium, and I think we want to
:18:25. > :18:31.play this game with a smile on our face, enjoyment, and obviously get
:18:32. > :18:33.that win under our belt. Johann Muller's contribution means he's
:18:34. > :18:38.that win under our belt. Johann will be sorely missed. He is a good
:18:39. > :18:42.man, he brings experience, and his leadership qualities, everybody well
:18:43. > :18:45.knows, he is a popular figure among the team, he plays, you know, heart
:18:46. > :18:50.on his sleeve in the way he goes about it, and he has had setbacks of
:18:51. > :18:55.broken arm, we had last year and that, but he wants to play for the
:18:56. > :18:59.team. When you think how far he has brought the team on, obviously the
:19:00. > :19:03.biggest leader in the team, he is a giant on the man on and off the
:19:04. > :19:06.pitch. When sneaks you listen to him, you just take him in, and it is
:19:07. > :19:11.going him, you just take him in, and it is
:19:12. > :19:14.void. The last couple of weeks I, poem have come up to say their
:19:15. > :19:18.goodbyes and that makes it, you know, even tougher and more
:19:19. > :19:23.emotional, but like I said you look up, I made no secret of my last four
:19:24. > :19:27.year here, we have loved it here, my family has enjoyed it. My little boy
:19:28. > :19:32.was born over here, so Belfast will have a really special place in our
:19:33. > :19:37.hearts. And a sold out Ravenhill will no doubt bid him a fond
:19:38. > :19:41.farewell this evening. It it is live on BBC Two from seven. From one
:19:42. > :19:47.great to another you would be foolish to bet against AP McCoy in a
:19:48. > :19:52.three horse race and so it proved at Punchestown. He rode Jonathan
:19:53. > :19:58.Edwards I can -- Jezki in a comfortable finish seeing off Ruby
:19:59. > :20:03.Walsh and Hurricane Fly in the process.
:20:04. > :20:10.Tomorrow's Irish Cup final pits Ballymena United against Glenavon.
:20:11. > :20:12.In almost 25 years, as a player, Glenn Ferguson did it all. Five
:20:13. > :20:20.Irish Cups and 563 goals, a wealth of experience hopes will count for
:20:21. > :20:24.something ahead of his first final as a manager. I may count in
:20:25. > :20:28.dressing room, talking about the expense of winning, one the players
:20:29. > :20:32.cross the white line there is little we can do. We will have them fired
:20:33. > :20:36.up about what it is is like to win it and how important it is and the
:20:37. > :20:40.Meddle and treasuring it. One mistake in front of goal could cost
:20:41. > :20:44.you the final. It will be a tense occasion but it is important both
:20:45. > :20:49.sets of players enjoy themselves. And for his opposite number, this
:20:50. > :20:52.occasion means everything. It is my home town team. It have followed
:20:53. > :21:04.them all my life. It will give home town team. It have followed
:21:05. > :21:05.supporters and I would swap everything I have done in my career
:21:06. > :21:10.supporters and I would swap to lift the trophy. The The current
:21:11. > :21:12.crop of players know what is at stake United have
:21:13. > :21:13.crop of players know what is at breakthrough. We have allowed
:21:14. > :21:16.ourself to dream the chance breakthrough. We have allowed
:21:17. > :21:20.winning the Irish Cup. Think when you come to such a big game you heed
:21:21. > :21:24.to let yourself have that dream and think of what it would be like to
:21:25. > :21:28.lift it. Not that many players have played in
:21:29. > :21:30.front of that big a crowd and it is how those players are going to cope
:21:31. > :21:32.with the added pressure of how those players are going to cope
:21:33. > :21:36.in front of that cloud crowd is going to come up trumps on the day.
:21:37. > :21:41.They can almost reach out and touch it.
:21:42. > :21:45.You can reach out and watch it tomorrow on BBC Two from 2.30.
:21:46. > :21:50.Finally unless you have been on a business trip to another galaxy you
:21:51. > :21:53.will have noticed there is is a bike race coming town. The Giro d'Italia
:21:54. > :21:57.will be live on BBC Northern Ireland. Watch every twist and turn
:21:58. > :22:06.of the three stages through Belfast, the Glenns of Antrim and then to
:22:07. > :22:12.Dublin on BBC Northern Ireland. That is the sport. Don't switch over
:22:13. > :22:15.yet because our ray of sunshine is here with the weather. There might
:22:16. > :22:22.be a bit of sunshine at Ravenhill, although there has been a cloud
:22:23. > :22:25.round there is a break now coming up across South Down peninsula. Also
:22:26. > :22:29.some blue sky spotted up in the north coast today. This picture
:22:30. > :22:34.taken earlier at west bay in Portrush. It is dry tonight, it will
:22:35. > :22:38.stay dry at Ravenhill, a bit cool in the Breeze, but the cloud will mean
:22:39. > :22:41.we have no frost problem, temperatures no lower than round
:22:42. > :22:46.five degrees. It starts dry tomorrow, but then it goes down hill
:22:47. > :22:52.for a while from the west. Damp drizzly weather, it will be edging
:22:53. > :22:55.its way in, it looks like it will reach Belfast round about lunchtime.
:22:56. > :22:59.If you are heading in to Belfast to do some shopping it is worth taking
:23:00. > :23:04.the umbrella or there will be rain and drizzle round for a while, that
:23:05. > :23:09.won't feel pleasant. It will start to clear away again, from the west.
:23:10. > :23:15.Mid afternoon on wards, as it does so temperatures should jump up to
:23:16. > :23:19.round 14, maybe 15. So it means a bit damp at Windsor Park for the
:23:20. > :23:25.football that is going on there tomorrow. Lots of other things going
:23:26. > :23:28.on. Lots of festivals, the Tulip festival. Some damp weather there,
:23:29. > :23:32.but it will be dry some the time. We have the city of Derry jazz and big
:23:33. > :23:40.band festival, and if you are heading up to the north-west, you
:23:41. > :23:44.may well spot in pink giant elk, keeping the pink theme going.
:23:45. > :23:48.Tomorrow night some damp drizzly weather, staying mild tomorrow night
:23:49. > :23:52.as well. And to begin with on Sunday it will be cloudy and damp but it
:23:53. > :23:56.should dry up for a while, with temperatures up to 15, possibly 16
:23:57. > :24:01.degrees. Bank Holiday Monday it is the city of marathon, the city of
:24:02. > :24:04.marathon? The Belfast city marathon. Run fast because it is going to be
:24:05. > :24:08.dry through the morning but wet and windy weather coming in tomorrow
:24:09. > :24:11.afternoon. So a bit of a mixed bag this weekend. Make the most of the
:24:12. > :24:15.dry gaps and hopefully the rain won't be too heavy.
:24:16. > :24:20.Finally our main story and the police are applying for more time to
:24:21. > :24:25.question the Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams about the 1972 murder of
:24:26. > :24:28.Jean McConville. That was BBC Newsline, thanks for
:24:29. > :24:30.watching. Bye.