:00:00. > 3:59:59That's all from the BBC News at Six. It's goodbye from me.
:00:00. > :00:20.Some of the worst atrocities of the Troubles are now at the
:00:21. > :00:31.centre of a row between the Police Ombudsman and the Chief Constable.
:00:32. > :00:38.The police have refused us access to information and I find that
:00:39. > :00:39.unacceptable. We have no choice but to take action against the Chief
:00:40. > :00:44.Constable. I'm live at Belfast's Islamic Centre
:00:45. > :00:47.where Peter Robinson is due to arrive,
:00:48. > :00:49.but will he be publicly apologising The continuing problems at emergency
:00:50. > :00:55.departments - an inquiry asks if it It's been called
:00:56. > :00:58.the congestion capital, but is Belfast does not move. They got it
:00:59. > :01:10.wrong. Stephen Ferris calls time
:01:11. > :01:13.on his glittering rugby career for Ulster, Ireland and the Lions as
:01:14. > :01:16.injuries finally take their toll. And it's been another day
:01:17. > :01:18.of sunshine and showers. The Police Ombudsman is taking
:01:19. > :01:27.the Chief Constable to court and has accused him of obstructing
:01:28. > :01:31.investigations into allegations Michael Maguire is taking
:01:32. > :01:39.the unprecedented legal action in an attempt to force Matt Baggott
:01:40. > :01:43.to hand over sensitive intelligence material, including details
:01:44. > :01:48.about police informers. Our home affairs
:01:49. > :02:01.correspondent Vincent Kearney Six men, all Catholics, murdered in
:02:02. > :02:08.a bar as they watched a World Cup game. It remains one of the worst
:02:09. > :02:11.atrocities of the troubles. Today, two decades later, it is at the
:02:12. > :02:16.centre of claims that police have not told all they know about it and
:02:17. > :02:19.dozens of other killings. Those claims come from the Police
:02:20. > :02:24.Ombudsman, the watchdog overseeing how police operate. He is putting
:02:25. > :02:27.pressure on the police to explain everything they know about the
:02:28. > :02:32.killings here and a litany of other murders. One suggestion is that a
:02:33. > :02:37.full investigation was not undertaken because they were
:02:38. > :02:43.protecting an informer and because there was collusion between police
:02:44. > :02:49.officers and the killers. As in many other cases, no-one was convicted.
:02:50. > :02:53.Al Hutchinson concluded that the RUC failed to properly investigate what
:02:54. > :03:03.happened here, but that there is insufficient evidence of collusion.
:03:04. > :03:05.Those findings were quashed. A fresh investigation is now being
:03:06. > :03:12.conducted. The Chief Constable stands accused of Gobstop thing the
:03:13. > :03:17.ombudsman by refusing to hand over intelligence material that he says
:03:18. > :03:20.is essential to do his job. The ombudsman says that the Chief
:03:21. > :03:30.Constable is making it impossible for his office to carry out its
:03:31. > :03:33.duties. We are talking about complex investigations into over 16 murders
:03:34. > :03:40.where there have been allegations of police criminality and missed
:03:41. > :03:44.conduct -- misconduct. They may have been protecting individuals who were
:03:45. > :03:47.involved in those murders. Answering those questions requires access to
:03:48. > :03:53.quite a range of intelligence and sensitive material. I need access to
:03:54. > :03:59.that in order to come to a view in order to make those allegations. He
:04:00. > :04:02.has launched legal action against Mac I get after PSNI failed to meet
:04:03. > :04:09.a deadline for handing over information. The police have refused
:04:10. > :04:13.access to over 100 pieces of information, which I find
:04:14. > :04:17.unacceptable and I have no choice but to take action. Michael Maguire
:04:18. > :04:23.is legally entitled to the information. We do not do
:04:24. > :04:28.investigations by negotiation. This is the mental to the independence of
:04:29. > :04:31.my office and the requirement of me to undertake a clear and robust
:04:32. > :04:36.investigation. This gets to the centre of independence,
:04:37. > :04:39.accountability, and we cannot have a situation where those two are the
:04:40. > :04:43.subject of investigation will determine what information is given
:04:44. > :04:54.to those who are undertaking that investigation. Other cases the Chief
:04:55. > :04:58.Constable Ahye clued -- is accused of blocking include cases where
:04:59. > :05:02.police officers were killed. It is being claimed that the special
:05:03. > :05:05.Branch had advanced warning of the attack and at least two IRA
:05:06. > :05:10.informers were involved. Other cases are much more recent and involve
:05:11. > :05:17.serious allegations against members of the PSNI. This is not just about
:05:18. > :05:21.the past, but about a range of cases that go before the Good Friday
:05:22. > :05:26.Agreement and then come after it. It relates to the RUC and the PSNI,
:05:27. > :05:30.which is why it is extremely important in the context of the
:05:31. > :05:33.ombudsman's office, which is there to provide independent
:05:34. > :05:39.investigation, I cannot allow and in -- a situation in which the
:05:40. > :05:45.authority and independence of my office is challenged. The ombudsman
:05:46. > :05:51.is being represented white Keir Starmer, the former DPP for England
:05:52. > :05:56.and Wales, and a former human rights adviser to the Policing Board. In a
:05:57. > :06:02.statement, the PSNI said it believes it has responded appropriately to
:06:03. > :06:10.each request on a case-by-case basis.
:06:11. > :06:12.The Policing Board has described the legal action
:06:13. > :06:16.by the ombudsman as very significant and a matter of great concern.
:06:17. > :06:18.It said board members would discuss it with
:06:19. > :06:22.Amid the continuing controversy over his
:06:23. > :06:26.remarks on Islam, the First Minister Peter Robinson is meeting members of
:06:27. > :06:36.The DUP leader was criticised for defending the Belfast pastor
:06:37. > :06:39.James McConnell, who described Islam as heathen and Satanic, and accused
:06:40. > :06:43.Our political correspondent Martina Purdy is at the
:06:44. > :06:58.This is the First Minister's first visit to the Islamic Centre here in
:06:59. > :07:03.Belfast, and it comes amid some controversy, but he was graciously
:07:04. > :07:06.welcomed with flowers and formally greeted by Muslim leaders from
:07:07. > :07:11.across Northern Ireland. I am told it is standing room only inside and
:07:12. > :07:13.that we are expecting those Muslim leaders to talk to Peter Robinson
:07:14. > :07:20.about Islam and what it means to be a Muslim. Obviously, the First
:07:21. > :07:23.Minister Lund in hot water when he sought to defend pastor Jean
:07:24. > :07:37.McConville's remarks. He said they were taken out of context -- James
:07:38. > :07:41.McConnell's remarks. What was said? We found the First Minister and the
:07:42. > :07:44.junior minister, Jonathan Bell, in the great Hall today and in the
:07:45. > :07:53.Senate chamber giving Muslim leaders a tour of Stormont, and their
:07:54. > :07:59.spokesman, an imam from Galway, said he was very accepting of Peter
:08:00. > :08:03.Robinson, who he thought was very genuine, and he thought he had been
:08:04. > :08:08.taken out of context. He had explained his position and that
:08:09. > :08:15.things are taken out of context and exaggerated, and that is true. I
:08:16. > :08:18.find him to be very warm and friendly and open, and that is
:08:19. > :08:24.enough for me to say that he is genuine in what he says. The First
:08:25. > :08:28.Minister will give a news conference after his visit and we will find out
:08:29. > :08:31.if he's going to make a public apology. That is something his
:08:32. > :08:33.critics from across Northern Ireland have been demanding.
:08:34. > :08:36.MLAs have condemned the recent racial attacks here and expressed
:08:37. > :08:44.their opposition to all racism, discrimination and intolerance.
:08:45. > :08:46.The Assembly backed a motion calling on all parties to
:08:47. > :08:50.show leadership and urging the First and Deputy First Ministers to bring
:08:51. > :08:52.forward a racial equality strategy as a matter of urgency.
:08:53. > :09:00.From Stormont we're joined by Our Political Editor Mark Devenport.
:09:01. > :09:05.The motion was adopted without any opposition, but some MLAs were
:09:06. > :09:10.critical of the First Minister and his absence from the chamber. That
:09:11. > :09:16.is correct. What we heard here this afternoon was Sinn Fein's MLA who
:09:17. > :09:22.brought this motion about what she said was an increase by one third of
:09:23. > :09:25.racist attacks in the last year. The Ulster Unionist Party the supported
:09:26. > :09:30.the creation of an improved Islamic Centre in Belfast, and another MLA
:09:31. > :09:37.said a man had been arrested because of more racist slurs against on
:09:38. > :09:40.social media. But it was the SDLP who said they were concerned that
:09:41. > :09:45.the First Minister was not there to witness the debate. Given the fact
:09:46. > :09:53.that we have an opportunity here to put to bed the intolerance and the
:09:54. > :09:59.evil of racist attacks and intolerance in our society am I have
:10:00. > :10:04.to ask this has, where is the First Minister? Why is he not here? Why is
:10:05. > :10:09.he not making the statement in this house to clarify his position in
:10:10. > :10:19.relation to James McConnell, and in relation to racism? His absence
:10:20. > :10:25.hangs over this debate. Who spoke for the DUP? The First Minister was
:10:26. > :10:28.taking part in a joint Unionist delegation that was lobbying the
:10:29. > :10:32.parades commission about parades in North Belfast, so it was left to
:10:33. > :10:46.some DUP backbenchers to make clear their app runs of racism. --
:10:47. > :10:50.abhorrence of racism. Questions were raised about the media's
:10:51. > :10:57.responsibility for what was described as the hype of recent
:10:58. > :11:02.days. Despite recent media hype, I think that leadership has been shown
:11:03. > :11:06.by this house. Certain sections of the media in some cases could cause
:11:07. > :11:11.division and increasing fear about continual coverage of stories that
:11:12. > :11:14.suit their agenda. I propose to ask the media what leadership it is
:11:15. > :11:22.given in the circumstances. The racial equality is its -- strategy,
:11:23. > :11:28.there is an indication that it could be brought forward quite soon. That
:11:29. > :11:33.is true. It has been planned for some time in the office of the first
:11:34. > :11:36.winner, but a junior minister said that Martin McGuinness has already
:11:37. > :11:46.signed off on a draft. Apparently the working title is A Sense of
:11:47. > :11:49.Belonging and it should be published in the next couple of days.
:11:50. > :11:51.Still ahead on the programme before 7pm:
:11:52. > :11:54.We'll be hearing from the rugby star who is calling
:11:55. > :12:00.There is to be an investigation to establish
:12:01. > :12:04.if patients who encountered problems in hospital emergency departments
:12:05. > :12:10.The inquiry is the first of its kind by the Northern Ireland
:12:11. > :12:19.First, a reminder of some of the problems that have prompted
:12:20. > :12:28.We begin with the closure of Belfast City Hospital's accident and
:12:29. > :12:33.emergency department. The closure of Belfast City Hospital's accident and
:12:34. > :12:36.emergency department. Of service in the city of Belfast. We do not need
:12:37. > :12:41.three accident and emergency departments.
:12:42. > :12:46.An investigation has started into how a man died while waiting on a
:12:47. > :12:50.hospital trolley at the accident and emergency department. Staff were not
:12:51. > :12:58.able to cope. There were too many people, lined up on trolleys. Two
:12:59. > :13:06.hospital departments are close at weekends from today. They will also
:13:07. > :13:10.have juiced opening hours during the week. A major incident was declared
:13:11. > :13:17.at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast last night. 130 people were
:13:18. > :13:21.waiting to be seen, every inch of the corridors were lined with people
:13:22. > :13:24.in wheelchairs and beds and it looked like a scene out of a natural
:13:25. > :13:37.disaster. It is embarrassing. Doctors and nurses are in tears. How
:13:38. > :13:43.can the health service impact on somebody's writes? Even under the
:13:44. > :13:46.most difficult circumstances, even when a patient arrives at an
:13:47. > :13:49.emergency department, it under the European Charter and the fundamental
:13:50. > :13:54.rights of the European Union, the conditions should be in place to
:13:55. > :13:58.ensure that a patient's human rights are respected. For instance, take
:13:59. > :14:04.somebody's right to dig deep. When a patient arrives, after self the
:14:05. > :14:09.question is it like that they should be treated on a hospital trolley in
:14:10. > :14:13.a busy corridor with strange looking on? They should also be treated with
:14:14. > :14:17.an acceptable time frame. Should they be treated after 18 hours while
:14:18. > :14:21.lying on a hospital trolley? According to our human rights, no,
:14:22. > :14:30.they shouldn't. And patients should also be treated in an inappropriate
:14:31. > :14:37.-- and appropriate environment. We can now hear from the commission
:14:38. > :14:41.interim chair. This enquiry will measure how well our emergency
:14:42. > :14:45.health care system protects, respect and fulfil human rights law. This is
:14:46. > :14:49.about how well patients are cared for, patient dignity, the
:14:50. > :14:53.information patients are provided with, and how involved they are with
:14:54. > :14:59.their decisions. Will it make any difference? This is the first report
:15:00. > :15:03.of its kind, and I'm sure the commission will want to produce a
:15:04. > :15:07.report of substance, because as it is the first of its kind, it will
:15:08. > :15:11.receive a lot of international attention, and what makes this one
:15:12. > :15:15.different from other reports, which have looked at hospital systems and
:15:16. > :15:19.introduced hospital staff, this enquiry begins with the public and
:15:20. > :15:24.ends with the public, and also, people will be held to account. So
:15:25. > :15:28.anyone he did encounter a problem at the emergency department, how did
:15:29. > :15:32.they get involved in all of this? While it is easy, it is crucial that
:15:33. > :15:36.the public to get involved, and the commission is calling for people to
:15:37. > :15:38.either write in, or phone in, which they can do by using this
:15:39. > :15:48.confidential number. That evidence will be treated
:15:49. > :15:52.confidentially, including any information which comes from
:15:53. > :15:57.management, and I am also told that anything provided by whistle-blowers
:15:58. > :15:59.will also be treated confidentially. Thank you very much.
:16:00. > :16:02.Controversial bus lanes are said to have helped reduce the number
:16:03. > :16:05.of vehicles in Belfast city centre by almost 11,000 per day.
:16:06. > :16:08.That is according to figures released by a Stormont department.
:16:09. > :16:11.But as our business correspondent Julian O'Neill reports, some people
:16:12. > :16:20.still need to be won over by its Belfast on the Move initiative.
:16:21. > :16:28.Belfast, UK capital of congestion. That is what one travel information
:16:29. > :16:33.firm claims today, and while the department responsible for bus lanes
:16:34. > :16:38.disagrees, there are people who need convincing. Take the man who owns
:16:39. > :16:42.this cafe. He thinks traffic has not released and is putting some people
:16:43. > :16:51.off coming into Belfast. We have all seen no benefit at all. People are
:16:52. > :16:56.coming into town less, and then we can't trade. Taxi drivers arguably
:16:57. > :16:59.the most vocal critics of the strategy to reduce the number of
:17:00. > :17:05.cars in the city centre. They call it Belfast on the move. Have a look
:17:06. > :17:10.at the city! Belfast does not move. They got it wrong. But still want
:17:11. > :17:15.says a report on the impact of its traffic measures tells a different
:17:16. > :17:22.story. It found 10,900 fewer vehicles in the city each day, down
:17:23. > :17:27.16% on 2010. Where it has gone is the West Link, now carrying an extra
:17:28. > :17:34.6000 vehicles. Belfast on the move created almost three kilometres of
:17:35. > :17:38.new bus lanes, and part of the objective was to encourage more
:17:39. > :17:41.people to use public transport. Public transport and especially
:17:42. > :17:47.train travel is seeing strong passenger growth. The minister
:17:48. > :17:53.responsible is encouraged by other patterns as well, such as more
:17:54. > :17:56.people walking to work. Cycling is up 19%, so I think all of the
:17:57. > :18:01.measures we are trying to bring forward, I am serious about them,
:18:02. > :18:06.and they are working. There is proof. The current strategy began
:18:07. > :18:10.three years ago. Stormont says its impact can be measured by today's
:18:11. > :18:12.figures, and there appears to be no turning back on the drive to reduce
:18:13. > :18:16.cars in the city centre. And that story is one
:18:17. > :18:19.of the topics that's been lighting Our BBC Newsline page now
:18:20. > :18:23.has more than 40,000 likes. And our thanks for getting involved
:18:24. > :18:25.and adding contributing to The Department of the Environment is
:18:26. > :18:35.moving 70 posts from Belfast to Coleraine to try to offset
:18:36. > :18:39.the blow caused by the loss of 300 Today's announcement was welcomed
:18:40. > :18:45.by DVA workers who gathered Dan Stanton was there for
:18:46. > :19:00.BBC Newsline. Fifth and is running a refusal
:19:01. > :19:12.normal all of what will these mood to Swansea. I work as manager and
:19:13. > :19:15.their service second to none. Will they receive that when legal bills
:19:16. > :19:21.were? Do they know what they are getting themselves in for? The
:19:22. > :19:27.environment minister was welcomed at the rally. He said he is moving 70
:19:28. > :19:33.posts but the majority of the workers are based. It is not enough
:19:34. > :19:42.to cover other walkers. This is a town that needs the jobs. It needs
:19:43. > :19:45.the money. The department says it is also asking ministers to tragically
:19:46. > :19:46.possessions and Coleraine which Driver Vehicle Agency walkers can
:19:47. > :19:53.apply for. A major two day music festival
:19:54. > :19:56.featuring MTV is to be held Derry City Council says it's part
:19:57. > :20:01.of its legacy programme from the The city played host to
:20:02. > :20:05.BBC Radio One's Big Weekend concerts last summer and almost 40,000 people
:20:06. > :20:08.saw acts like Robbie Williams, Calvin Harris and Bruno Mars
:20:09. > :20:10.performing at Ebrington Square. Derry has being promoted as
:20:11. > :20:13.Music City this year appealing to Now sport with Stephen Watson, and
:20:14. > :20:22.for the second evening running, sad Yes - within the past hour it's been
:20:23. > :20:31.announced that Karl Harris, a 34-year-old rider from Sheffield was
:20:32. > :20:34.killed during the Superstock Race at the TT today following an incident
:20:35. > :20:37.on the second lap of the race. Harris, a professional racer,
:20:38. > :20:40.made his TT debut two years ago and was a former triple
:20:41. > :20:43.British Supersport Champion. This news comes just a day
:20:44. > :20:46.after another rider, Bob Price, The spirit was willing but
:20:47. > :20:58.Stephen Ferris' body told him After 106 appearances for Ulster,
:20:59. > :21:03.35 caps for Ireland, appearances in the Rugby World Cup and on a Lions
:21:04. > :21:07.Tour and, of course, Grand Slam success, it's safe to say Stephen
:21:08. > :21:23.Ferris will have a prominent place He already has the author of a
:21:24. > :21:30.coaching role. Autographing the wall was Stephen Ferris and his last duty
:21:31. > :21:38.as an official wheel. He quits the game as one of the most outstanding
:21:39. > :21:43.wheels of his generation. It was not that long ago we were standing there
:21:44. > :21:51.in front of 17 and a half thousand fans. I thought I would play Michael
:21:52. > :21:59.for another few years. It is time to take but I have not every minute of
:22:00. > :22:03.it. Stephen Ferris's approach to rugby eventually to test all. He
:22:04. > :22:09.spent 16 months recovering from this CD is ankle injury which eventually
:22:10. > :22:18.forced him to retire. He ripped onto the pitch before this year. He made
:22:19. > :22:25.an immediate impact. He will be remembered for playing his part and
:22:26. > :22:31.also's transformation. Seeing them going from a small clock, the
:22:32. > :22:43.underdogs, two going into one of the biggest class, you could see the
:22:44. > :22:50.progression and the rise. It is probably what I want back on and I
:22:51. > :22:57.am quite happy after that. And he was also a star with Ireland,
:22:58. > :23:07.winning a landslide. It was probably the best rugby I was clearing. I did
:23:08. > :23:14.not have any injuries. It was good. It is great that I have achieved so
:23:15. > :23:20.much. I can definitely finished with no regrets. The fast when he is
:23:21. > :23:30.going to do is happy holiday! There are now 50 days to go until
:23:31. > :23:33.the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Here on BBC Newsline, we're going to
:23:34. > :23:37.countdown to the Games by looking With a 1500 metre swim,
:23:38. > :23:41.20 kilometre bike race and 10 kilometre run, the Triathlon is one
:23:42. > :23:44.of the more daunting sports... But in Aileen Reid, Northern Ireland
:23:45. > :23:47.will be sending an athlete who can compete with the very best,
:23:48. > :23:58.as Nigel Ringland reports. With a silver medal in last year's
:23:59. > :24:03.unfeigned, Aileen Reid showed her class. But it has also raised
:24:04. > :24:10.expectation that was ahead of the Commonwealth Games. You cannot take
:24:11. > :24:15.on people and the predictions. I have said before, people always
:24:16. > :24:23.predict things as soon as you get the middle, and it does not work
:24:24. > :24:32.that way. I work on the things that I can control. My fitness and other
:24:33. > :24:39.things like my skins. It is going to be the same outcome. An injury
:24:40. > :24:44.forced Aileen Reid to mess an important part of our training. But
:24:45. > :24:51.she is returning to form. I would not like to put a number on it, but
:24:52. > :24:57.hopefully I will have some home support and I should really do well.
:24:58. > :25:03.I have to remember, coming off the back of some injuries, hopefully I
:25:04. > :25:09.can fit in time to compete that level. And in classical, Aileen Reid
:25:10. > :25:14.will also lead the Northern Ireland squad and this clearly important and
:25:15. > :25:21.popular sport. With four people in the team, it really should be for a
:25:22. > :25:26.fantastic atmosphere. I'm looking forward to it. I am getting to
:25:27. > :25:34.represent Northern Ireland and that is spectacular. Amusing. It is great
:25:35. > :25:37.to be from such a small nation. I want to do them play. She has a real
:25:38. > :26:03.chance of glory and classical. Today, we got some photos then and
:26:04. > :26:09.that gave us the teams that made was the dullest since 1885. Despite the
:26:10. > :26:17.closure, it was still warm and parts. Scattered showers for the
:26:18. > :26:24.rest of us. Overweight, we will continue to see some springs of
:26:25. > :26:30.reading. Some of the light weather will continue into tomorrow morning,
:26:31. > :26:35.but went to do, then will be some stills of sunshine. When we totally
:26:36. > :26:45.down with around the course but better in the West. We can expect a
:26:46. > :26:50.few showers. Elsewhere, some will be hugely and the temperatures are
:26:51. > :27:02.going to get to around 12 or 14 degrees. Temperatures, at this time
:27:03. > :27:09.of year, should be 17 or so. Quite a few of us will end on a good note.
:27:10. > :27:17.Maybe a little bit further east. Tomorrow, largely dry. Possibly some
:27:18. > :27:27.time weather in the north-east. Thus the meeting of two what to do it is
:27:28. > :27:34.going to improve. Certainly in terms of dry and late winner. Temperatures
:27:35. > :27:38.are still below average. The neatly on the rise later on, you will see
:27:39. > :27:41.some dry weather, but the wet weather is far away. Thank you for
:27:42. > :27:46.watching. Goodbye.