:00:00. > :00:16.This is BBC Newsline. Tonight's top stories...
:00:17. > :00:18.Taxing times for car owners, as glitches in the system
:00:19. > :00:28.leave some motorists unable to licence their vehicles.
:00:29. > :00:36.I want to pay my money but they do not seem to want it. What can you
:00:37. > :00:42.do? Should George Galloway be able to speak at the Ulster Hall. The
:00:43. > :00:46.Democratic Unionist party say no. There are calls for criminal charges
:00:47. > :00:49.to be brought against care homes Unemployment falls again,
:00:50. > :00:52.but how sustainable is the recovery Londonderry gets ready for the
:00:53. > :00:56.return of the Walled City Tattoo. Can Ireland's women make it
:00:57. > :00:59.to the final of the Rugby World Cup After rain tonight, showers are in
:01:00. > :01:03.the forecast again for tomorrow. It is a bright start to Thursday,
:01:04. > :01:05.before rain returns through the afternoon, with highs
:01:06. > :01:15.with highs of 17 Celsius. It has now been a month since the
:01:16. > :01:20.Driver and Vehicle Agency closed here. The service for taxing your
:01:21. > :01:22.car or getting a driving licence is now based at the DVLA in Swansea,
:01:23. > :01:26.but some people have been having difficulties in getting
:01:27. > :01:28.documentation for their vehicles, especially when it comes
:01:29. > :01:46.to paying car tax. This is the way it used to be. The
:01:47. > :01:51.headquarters she had the responsibility to issuing tax discs
:01:52. > :01:57.for cars, a pre-requisite for driving on the road. The system has
:01:58. > :02:02.now been transferred to Swansea and some people have been having
:02:03. > :02:07.problems. He tried to taxes than at the post office but he was said he
:02:08. > :02:14.would have to contact the office and Swansea. You used to be able to get
:02:15. > :02:21.all these things at the post office. It should just be a matter of, bang
:02:22. > :02:26.bang, the is your tax disc. You have to go there and back again. It is
:02:27. > :02:33.time consuming. It should be straightforward. Obviously, if
:02:34. > :02:39.you're trying to tax your car, it is going to be frustrating, but what if
:02:40. > :02:46.your business is selling cars, what if you have to a lot of fun? We tax
:02:47. > :02:52.on average 40 vehicles a month. A percentage of those will be done,
:02:53. > :03:00.but the problem arises when the problem arises when there is a
:03:01. > :03:04.charge transferor. All the stuff is now going to Swansea and it is
:03:05. > :03:09.taking longer. There are major hold-ups now for us, for when we
:03:10. > :03:18.want to send the paperwork away. Other businesses have also felt the
:03:19. > :03:23.change. I thought when it went to Swansea would go online and become
:03:24. > :03:30.more efficient. But it appears to be a disaster, that is the only way to
:03:31. > :03:46.describe it. In a statement, the company said:
:03:47. > :03:55.Of course, all this comes after 100 job losses in Northern Ireland.
:03:56. > :03:58.Of course, all this comes after 100 very frustrated and furious at them.
:03:59. > :04:06.The new for the problems would be like. The should have been flagged
:04:07. > :04:16.up straightaway. This has all worked against the transfer of the service
:04:17. > :04:19.from Northern Ireland. There was meant to be devolution of taxing in
:04:20. > :04:24.Northern Ireland, but they do not follow up with that. These problems
:04:25. > :04:28.Northern Ireland, but they do not will be worked through the system,
:04:29. > :04:31.but in the meantime, many people have been left with the frustration
:04:32. > :04:38.of not knowing whether the vehicle is a road legal.
:04:39. > :04:40.Belfast City Council is taking legal advice over an event
:04:41. > :04:43.due to take place at the Ulster Hall,
:04:44. > :04:45.hosted by the Bradford West MP, George Galloway
:04:46. > :04:51.The DUP has called for next week's event to be cancelled,
:04:52. > :04:57.because of anti-Israeli remarks made recently by Mr Galloway.
:04:58. > :05:04.He is known for being outspoken and controversial, that the Democratic
:05:05. > :05:11.Unionist party say George Galloway went too far in a recent speech. We
:05:12. > :05:19.declare Bradford and his real free zone. We do not want any Israeli
:05:20. > :05:24.services, any Israeli academics coming to the university or college,
:05:25. > :05:27.we do not want any Israeli tourists. Next week, he is due to
:05:28. > :05:35.speak in Belfast that the Ulster Hall. The party says his views are
:05:36. > :05:44.so extremely could damage party relations. In a radio interview, the
:05:45. > :05:54.MP had back. To be lectured by the Democratic University -- Unionist
:05:55. > :06:01.party is a bit like being criticised by the hunchback of Notre Dame.
:06:02. > :06:05.We're not interested in his abusive replies. We do not want his views
:06:06. > :06:12.being expressed any control facility. The situation in the
:06:13. > :06:20.Middle East has caused tension in Belfast. This blue plaque used to be
:06:21. > :06:26.on the wall, but after a number of recent attacks, it has had to be
:06:27. > :06:31.moved. She was the Israeli president for ten years, but his roots were in
:06:32. > :06:38.north Belfast. In more recent years, the Sinn Fein councillor lived in
:06:39. > :06:44.the house. He has no supporter of Israel, but thinks the blue plaque
:06:45. > :06:48.should have been allowed to stay. Disappointed. Regardless of what
:06:49. > :06:54.your politics are, this is her story. I can understand people who
:06:55. > :06:59.are protesting about the issue and get frustrated, but there are better
:07:00. > :07:04.ways to go about it. Under George Galloway event, Sinn Fein see it
:07:05. > :07:09.should be allowed to go ahead. Unions want Belfast City Council to
:07:10. > :07:15.cancel it. The council say they are taking legal advice. The event is
:07:16. > :07:18.billed as a laid-back discussion, entitled Saturday night with George
:07:19. > :07:22.Galloway and is supposed to take place a week on Saturday.
:07:23. > :07:25.Just before we came on air, I spoke to George Galloway.
:07:26. > :07:28.I asked him if his comments were as extreme as those he is accused
:07:29. > :07:46.I am not as extreme as the Democratic Unionist party, which
:07:47. > :07:51.recently backed a pastor who has been preaching hate about Muslims.
:07:52. > :07:59.The idea I could be accused of being extreme by them is frankly
:08:00. > :08:06.ridiculous. But you have demonised and rejected an entire country. I am
:08:07. > :08:15.entirely against the claims of the state of Israel. 95% of Israelis
:08:16. > :08:22.have consistently supported the attack and I do not want anything to
:08:23. > :08:27.do with that 95%. The 4% who opposed it, on the other hand, would be
:08:28. > :08:31.welcome as he was in my constituency. You must know that
:08:32. > :08:36.people on both sides of the argument in Northern Ireland very often going
:08:37. > :08:44.to be polarised state, so I not inciting problems here? I am not
:08:45. > :08:53.sure what your peace process has to do with that. You will know that
:08:54. > :08:58.Unionist and Republicans tend to go in opposing sides with regard to the
:08:59. > :09:03.Middle East conflict. Last time I was here, Belfast was part of the
:09:04. > :09:09.United Kingdom. I am a member of the British Parliament. I am entitled to
:09:10. > :09:13.go anywhere I like in this United Kingdom and they will. I have a
:09:14. > :09:17.signed and sealed contract with the Ulster Hall. Money has changed
:09:18. > :09:24.hands, a great deal of expenditure has been made and a great deal of
:09:25. > :09:28.tickets have been sold. I will be there. I will be at the Ulster Hall
:09:29. > :09:35.a week on Saturday and I expect to have the fuel hose, which will
:09:36. > :09:40.vindicate that there are 1000 people at least in the Northern Ireland
:09:41. > :09:48.wanting to hear what I have to say. Is about publicity money? I am not
:09:49. > :09:54.short of publicity. I am marketing my book. I know the BBC does not
:09:55. > :09:57.have to worry about that because the public be your wages and pay for
:09:58. > :10:03.your operation, but the rest of us have to work. Israelis and
:10:04. > :10:06.Palestinians working in Northern Ireland say they already feel
:10:07. > :10:12.vulnerable. I do not worry this event will increase the tension
:10:13. > :10:18.here? You a flake in a dead horse here. Many Israelis live in Northern
:10:19. > :10:22.Ireland? If they support the murdered a massacre we have all
:10:23. > :10:26.witnessed, frankly, I would not want anything to do with them. George
:10:27. > :10:31.Galloway speaking to me earlier. Criminal charges should be brought
:10:32. > :10:34.against owners of care homes who repeatedly fail to meet basic
:10:35. > :10:36.standards, according to the Commissioner for Older People.
:10:37. > :10:38.Her office is due to make recommendations to the health
:10:39. > :10:41.minister about how the system can be overhauled.
:10:42. > :10:42.It follows highly-critical reports into several homes here, which have
:10:43. > :10:59.been highlighted by the BBC. For John, the current focus on
:11:00. > :11:08.nothing homes comes too late. His mother died following years in care.
:11:09. > :11:14.No one ever listen. In the day rooms, my mother was sitting there
:11:15. > :11:23.and almost looked imprisonment. She seemed so vulnerable. In a series of
:11:24. > :11:31.critical reports, the BBC report that many nursing homes are feeling
:11:32. > :11:37.and basic year. This county and struck and some nursing home had the
:11:38. > :11:43.lead lasted on it and that of the system. I was disgusted at the level
:11:44. > :11:52.of care and abuse. For over eight years, a damning catalogue of
:11:53. > :11:57.problems where brought up. Oh people had to put up with levels of care
:11:58. > :12:03.and levels of abuse that the system should be ashamed of. They want the
:12:04. > :12:10.regulators to act more swiftly with problems. They want more riposte
:12:11. > :12:15.action taken and called for criminal charges to be imposed if regulators
:12:16. > :12:23.feel to come up with the terms of the remote. We want a clear and
:12:24. > :12:27.unequivocal response. We will need conversations with the Department of
:12:28. > :12:32.Health and the boards and he trusts. We are fully committed to doing
:12:33. > :12:37.that. I think that will bring changes in the fullness of time.
:12:38. > :12:41.that. I think that will bring Whistle-blowers have welcomed the
:12:42. > :12:49.prospect of an independent helpline for staff. They should be able to
:12:50. > :12:51.trust the system. There can be no victimisation of the whistle-blower
:12:52. > :12:59.trust the system. There can be no their career could be destroyed
:13:00. > :13:01.after wards. Families and charities welcome that the recommendations
:13:02. > :13:09.regarding care homes will also require to be imposed for
:13:10. > :13:11.Coming up on BBC Newsline, Londonderry gets ready for the
:13:12. > :13:16.for the return of the Walled City Tattoo.
:13:17. > :13:20.The car and home of the partner of a former Loyalist prisoner has been
:13:21. > :13:22.attacked, in an overnight arson attack. John Howcroft is the local
:13:23. > :13:25.representative of the UPRG, the political group linked to the UDA.
:13:26. > :13:28.He was asleep when the car and front door of the house were set alight.
:13:29. > :13:31.It happened during the early hours in Alliance Road.
:13:32. > :13:49.These are people determined to drag us back into the dark days. We have
:13:50. > :13:58.made significant progress in north Belfast. But it is moving on, it is
:13:59. > :14:02.a community moving on, but these are people who want to drag us back for
:14:03. > :14:04.their own purposes. The job market is continuing to
:14:05. > :14:07.improve, according to the latest official figures.
:14:08. > :14:09.They show that unemployment fell for the 19th month in a row in July.
:14:10. > :14:12.Let us go to our Economics and Business Editor, John Campbell.
:14:13. > :14:26.Is this an indication that the local We have seen the labour market
:14:27. > :14:31.making a sustained recovery. Things moved up a gear in July. The number
:14:32. > :14:35.of people claiming unemployment benefit fell by 1400, the biggest
:14:36. > :14:54.fall since October 1999. It is the fault of 0.5% over the
:14:55. > :14:58.past three months. All the indicators are that we're moving in
:14:59. > :15:01.the right direction. Is this sustainable in the long term? I
:15:02. > :15:09.think this is a big issue over the next couple of years. Things will be
:15:10. > :15:17.related to the public sector. It grew during the good times. But it
:15:18. > :15:23.is losing people, losing jobs. The private sector will have to take up
:15:24. > :15:27.the slack. But it just matters how long the private sector can actually
:15:28. > :15:31.create jobs. We will see the private sector can actually create jobs. We
:15:32. > :15:37.will see their rates more difficult to see in the long term. It is still
:15:38. > :15:41.high with regard to the rest of the United Kingdom, the youth
:15:42. > :15:47.unemployment. Is that still the case? Yes, one in five is still
:15:48. > :15:52.looking for jobs, compared to the beat in eight in the United Kingdom.
:15:53. > :16:01.There are other figures. The number of people signing on, almost half of
:16:02. > :16:02.these were people aged 18-25 two indicates things are very tough out
:16:03. > :16:05.there for people still. Firefighters have brought under
:16:06. > :16:07.control a blaze close to the Shankill Road in Belfast.
:16:08. > :16:09.Eight derelict houses went on fire in Glenwood Street, sending smoke
:16:10. > :16:11.billowing through the area. The fire and rescue service
:16:12. > :16:14.and local politicians believe Contractors have been working to
:16:15. > :16:22.make safe a building in Lurgan, amid fears that it could collapse onto a
:16:23. > :16:25.major road into the town. William Street has been closed since
:16:26. > :16:28.yesterday, after members of the public noticed part of the building
:16:29. > :16:30.leaning forwards. Several shops and offices were
:16:31. > :16:32.forced to close. Among those affected was an SDLP
:16:33. > :16:34.MLA, whose constituency office is on that street.
:16:35. > :16:52.She said the building had been a People passing by did notice the
:16:53. > :16:56.building wavering and the reported at to the environmental services and
:16:57. > :17:03.police. There are difficulties in that building, as it is with any
:17:04. > :17:07.conservation area. It would need planning permission for complete
:17:08. > :17:10.demolition, so at this stage, as I understand, they are taking down the
:17:11. > :17:15.most dangerous part of the building, but I think the building itself
:17:16. > :17:20.should be completely demolished. It was one of the highlights of the
:17:21. > :17:24.UK City of Culture year in Londonderry.
:17:25. > :17:25.The Walled City Tattoo attracted thousands into Ebrington Square and,
:17:26. > :17:28.later this month, it i returning to the venue.
:17:29. > :17:30.As Keiron Tourish has been finding out, it is giving young performers
:17:31. > :17:51.the chance to take part in the Almost 600 performers will be taking
:17:52. > :18:02.part in this year Walled City Tattoo 's. They are making sure every step
:18:03. > :18:11.is timed to perfection. A number of new events are being showcased at
:18:12. > :18:14.the event. I trained in modern dance, so this is a great
:18:15. > :18:23.opportunity to perform, free of it is not traditional. Last year 's
:18:24. > :18:31.tattoo was stage as part of the UK city of culture celebrations. Part
:18:32. > :18:39.of the focus was on the area 's rich social history. Local and
:18:40. > :18:48.international acts took to the outdoor arena, to perform for 14,000
:18:49. > :18:57.people in a unique production. This year, again, dancers aged 5-18 will
:18:58. > :19:01.get the chance to shine. I have been dancing for 12 years. I have never
:19:02. > :19:08.danced that this event before, so I do not know what to expect, but so
:19:09. > :19:10.far so good. I get to meet other people won't get to learn about
:19:11. > :19:23.different cultures. There are these events worldwide,
:19:24. > :19:31.the biggest of these obviously being in Edinburgh. Our one is unique in
:19:32. > :19:37.the fact that it does attract so many different cultures. The main
:19:38. > :19:42.impact it has is that the cultures within Ireland themselves come
:19:43. > :19:49.together. After the success of last years event the organisers no hope
:19:50. > :19:54.to make it an annual event. If only good weather could be guaranteed.
:19:55. > :19:57.Ireland's women have been trying to earn a place in the rugby world cup
:19:58. > :20:00.final this afternoon. Stephen is here. How did they get on?
:20:01. > :20:03.Earlier in the tournament, Ireland defeated the might New Zealand, but
:20:04. > :20:04.it has been heartbreak today in Paris.
:20:05. > :20:06.Playing in their first-ever Rugby World Cup semifinal,
:20:07. > :20:32.They lost by 40-7. The game has just finished. The Irish team have
:20:33. > :20:33.exceeded all expectations. They could hardly have asked for a better
:20:34. > :20:47.start. After consulting the video referee,
:20:48. > :20:54.they were awarded a try. It is a drive for Ireland. After the
:20:55. > :21:02.conversion, it drew them seven points ahead. But the English bank
:21:03. > :21:06.soon after. Sustained pressure led to Michelle Clarke going over and
:21:07. > :21:12.within three minutes, they had crossed the line once again.
:21:13. > :21:19.As England get ready for a World Cup final, Ireland must pick themselves
:21:20. > :21:24.up and prepare for a third-place play-off.
:21:25. > :21:27.No joy for Ireland?s rugby women, but in the World Rally Championship,
:21:28. > :21:30.Northern Ireland has a driver taking the sport by storm.
:21:31. > :21:33.Kris Meeke finished on the podium at the Rally of Finland, after an
:21:34. > :21:40.outstanding performance. He joins me in the studio.
:21:41. > :21:47.Finland is the home of rallying, so can you put it in perspective
:21:48. > :21:51.Finland is the home of rallying, so performance was? It is the spiritual
:21:52. > :21:53.home of the sport. A lot of drivers have been judged over the years on
:21:54. > :22:05.their performances they It was my first event the last year
:22:06. > :22:12.and it was good to great on the, so that made a massive difference.
:22:13. > :22:17.Watching this footage, it is incredible pace that you get, it
:22:18. > :22:24.must take serious concentration to drive in a constricted space like
:22:25. > :22:31.that? Yes, this rally is four days long and 350 kilometres long. As you
:22:32. > :22:34.can see, this stealing wheel does not tend to work when you are in
:22:35. > :22:41.Medea. Your season has gone particularly well, but this was your
:22:42. > :22:47.best performance. You drive in all sorts of conditions, even sleet snow
:22:48. > :22:53.here. Yes, the season started well in Monte Carlo for me. But as you
:22:54. > :23:01.say, the beauty of the championships is the diversity of it. We are in
:23:02. > :23:07.hot gravel, peace, slush, mod, the next minute we could be in the
:23:08. > :23:13.vineyards. There is real variety. The next thing to do is to win a
:23:14. > :23:17.round of the World Championship. I said when I was a few at the
:23:18. > :23:22.beginning of the year after the Carlo Rally, the step-by-step
:23:23. > :23:31.experiences or important in the championship. I am still learning.
:23:32. > :23:38.Finland was the next help. We only finished a handful of seconds from
:23:39. > :23:45.the lead. I think we have a few more rallies to do before we are ready
:23:46. > :23:48.for that, but we should get there. Rory McIlroy is dominating the
:23:49. > :23:55.headlines in golf at the world level, could you put yourself up
:23:56. > :24:00.there? I would not be doing it if I did not think I could do it. I have
:24:01. > :24:04.the desire to do that. I am just grateful I have this opportunity to
:24:05. > :24:08.realise that potential and get a drive in the world Rally
:24:09. > :24:14.championship. A result like that will really boys me up. I know
:24:15. > :24:18.you're not off the norm, like the golfers. It is good to see you.
:24:19. > :24:21.In local football, there is a full programme of Irish League matches
:24:22. > :24:22.tonight. Irish Premiership champions
:24:23. > :24:24.Cliftonville take on Portadown tonight at Shamrock Park.
:24:25. > :24:27.Portadown will be buoyed by their performance on the opening day of
:24:28. > :24:30.the season, when they beat Linfield 3-0. And it does not get any easier
:24:31. > :24:33.for new Linfield manager Warren Feeney tonight, as his team takes on
:24:34. > :24:35.Glentoran who drew with Cliftonville last weekend.
:24:36. > :24:43.The Glentoran manager is looking forward to a big Belfast derby.
:24:44. > :24:49.We cant wait to try and get a few points on the board. Needless to
:24:50. > :24:51.say, they will be wanting to do the same. It is a massive game for both
:24:52. > :24:57.clubs very early in the season. Armagh Gaelic football manager Paul
:24:58. > :25:00.Grimley has stepped down from his role after two years in charge.
:25:01. > :25:03.Grimley's side were knocked out of the All-Ireland Championship by
:25:04. > :25:05.Donegal at the weekend. It is expected that All-Ireland
:25:06. > :25:07.winning captain Kieran McGeeney will road race got underway today.
:25:08. > :25:18.Guy Martin was quickest in the Superbike class at Dundrod.
:25:19. > :25:46.We will be live from the Ulster I am almost scared to ask! It will
:25:47. > :25:50.not be that Shelly tonight. The skies start to cloud over tonight
:25:51. > :25:57.and then we will see this band of rain sinking slowly south across the
:25:58. > :26:03.country overnight. As we head into Thursday, showers and a forecast. It
:26:04. > :26:08.has been a bit of a constant over the last few days. This is the
:26:09. > :26:14.picture of you will wake up to. Not a bad morning. Try and break for
:26:15. > :26:21.much of the country. Into the afternoon, the showers start to work
:26:22. > :26:27.the rear and once again. Not terribly warm, with the good breeze
:26:28. > :26:35.holding temperatures down to 16 or 17 Celsius. The South and East may
:26:36. > :26:42.escape much of that rain during the course of tomorrow. This sets us up
:26:43. > :26:51.for a reasonable day on Friday. A drier and blatantly, but a little on
:26:52. > :26:56.the cold side. Behind it we get this ridge of high pressure pushing. It
:26:57. > :27:01.is not strong enough to give us full protection, but it does brighten
:27:02. > :27:08.things up on Friday. The odd shower here in the, but not a bad day. The
:27:09. > :27:13.bodies still owe to the north-west and that will keep these
:27:14. > :27:20.temperatures down, to highs of 15-17 Celsius. For the middle of August,
:27:21. > :27:29.Saturday is looking the best day of the weekend. Temperatures rising. It
:27:30. > :27:32.is the middle of August, but these numbers do not reflect that. But at
:27:33. > :27:35.least it is staying dry towards the end of the weekend.
:27:36. > :27:38.Our late summary is at 10.25pm. You can also keep in contact with us via
:27:39. > :27:51.Facebook and Twitter. From BBC Newsline, goodnight.
:27:52. > :28:07.Look up to the lights and wait for the signal that says...go!
:28:08. > :28:10...for the fastest road race in the world.