10/09/2014 BBC Newsline

A big job loss for the Belfast aerospace company Bombardier.

MLAs meet behind closed doors to discuss a report on the conduct of

How real are the fears of a Stormont collapse - another crisis or

Plus, the ordeal of a woman taxi driver

He thought he might never play in the new Ravenhill,

but Ulster rugby's Stuart Olding is raring to go again.

And there may be a few visibility issues in the morning, but it

The aerospace company Bombardier is cutting almost 400 jobs.

The job losses are part of a major reorganisation which will see the

Canadian-owned firm shedding 1,800 staff across its global operations.

Bombardier has been under pressure because of a series of delays

The C-Series began flight tests again on Sunday after being grounded

for more than three months following an engine failure.

Our economics and business editor John Campbell reports.

Bombardier is our biggest engineering employer. Around 6000

people work across its four factories in greater Belfast. It

supports many more jobs through the supply chain. But now it is getting

a bit smaller as part of cost-cutting exercises. 390 jobs

will be lost. The job losses are equivalent to about 6.5% of

Bombardier's local workforce. 300 of the jobs lost and among temporary or

contract staff. Over 90 will come from the permanent salvaged our. My

understanding is those 90 jobs are maiming management roles and The

company hopes to lose them through voluntary redundancy. The

engineering union says there will be a knock-on effect. It is horrible

for individuals who will lose jobs in the next couple of months. A

devastating blow for them and their families. But for the economy, it is

devastating also with the loss of so many good manufacturing jobs.

Bombardier is shaking up operations. It is organising the Eagles make --

aerospace business to become more focused and efficient. One local

politician says The company still likes what it sees here. We met with

senior management in the company and number of weeks ago. They indicated

that it is an excellent plant and the type they want to open it out

globally. But The company does have some big challenges, mainly to do

with this, the C-Series. This jet is supposed to take on Boeing and

Airbus but it has been hit with a series of expensive delays. The

uncertainty around Bombardier will continue until this aeroplane gets

into service and is ordered by more airlines.

Joining me now from Westminster is the East Belfast MP Naomi Long.

Deeply concerning news in your constituency this evening. Yes,

absolutely. I am very concerned, particularly for the few hundred 90

individuals facing redundancy. The first thing I did after speaking

with Bombardier this morning was to contact my colleague, and he has

spoken directly to senior management. -- 390 individuals.

There will be 30 days of consultation to minimise the

redundancies and find alternative employment for those facing

redundancy. You say that you spoken to management. Did they give you

reassurances of the future of the ten Mac to? They are very confident

of the future, not just the C-Series but what they are working on it more

generally. There were 1800 jobs in total that will be affected by this.

This is the part affecting Northern Ireland. However, Bombardier are

taking on new apprentices later in the autumn and that is a good sign

in terms of planning for the medium to future. It is not alleviate the

pain for those facing redundancy today but for remaining staff,

there's a degree of optimism around the stability of the company and its

investment in Northern Ireland. A major employer. A dependent are we

on companies like Bombardier? When you look at Bombardier, even shared

the jobs they are talking about losing today, they will still employ

5800 people. Not directly, but also through contracts and so on. That is

the tip of the iceberg in terms of the economy and the supply chain and

also in terms of those who benefit from the economic outcome of that in

local communities and so on. It is a very significant employer and we are

relying on them. They are important to the economy and it is important

we work with them to minimise the impact but also to make sure The

company is fit for this and is competitive. So that it offers the

kind of high-end, advanced manufacturing jobs that Northern

Ireland really needs. Thank you for joining us.

The Stormont Standards and Privileges Committee met

behind closed doors this afternoon to discuss a report into

the conduct of the First Minister Peter Robinson and his wife, Iris.

Our political editor Mark Devenport is at Stormont now.

Well, the Standards Commissioner has been investigating the issues raised

in the Spotlight programme you might remember from four years ago. Full

of -- four years ago. The BBC's Spotlight revealed

sensational details about Iris Robinson 's actions with her

19-year-old lover. Shortly afterwards, the Standards Committee

ordered an investigation into the conduct of both Iris Robinson and

her husband Peter. The report was delayed whilst police investigated

the matter before deciding not to press charges. Last November, the

Assembly Standards Commissioner completed his report. Its

publication was delayed after a lawyer acting for Iris Robinson

raise concerns that publishing some material might damage her health. My

investigation was actually finished last year, but publication of the

report submission of the report to the committee been delayed because

of legal issues. Earlier this week, Standards Committee members were

given a chance to examine the report on condition they did not take

copies away from the Reading room. Stormont sources indicated clears

the DUP leader, Peter Robinson, of any breach of the MLA code of

conduct. However, it is suggested by this Robinson is found to have

broken a rule by not declaring receiving the cash from developers

and therefore risking a perception of a conflict of interest. No

further details will emerge to from behind the closed doors meeting

today. It is my understanding MLAs are considering taking legal advice

about the publication of the report and whether that material which Iris

Robinson's lawyer things could damage your health will be excised

from any edition of the report made public. It is not the only story

involving a BBC Spotlight investigation today.

Yes, the programme is looking at the whole issue of expenses. We expect

that to go to ear in the coming weeks. It is significant that the

speaker here has issued a statement just late this afternoon. In this

statement, he says what he says is fraud in his constituency office. He

says the regular trend of payments involving his office cost

expenditure have been brought to his attention and that he has the

police. He says he has suspended a member of his constituency office

staff pending the outcome of investigations. He does not identify

any individual, so no-one should jump to any conclusion about

wrongdoing on the part of any particular individual. The Assembly

say they had been notified and will not make further comment about this.

We know that he is cooperating with police and the investigation into

these matters are at an early stage. The speaker says the system here

will have to be examined in the future and that he takes

responsibility for the fact that in his management of the affairs of his

constituency office, he did not uncover what was happening at an

earlier point. In spite of

the political wrangling at Stormont, The First Minister Peter Robinson

said yesterday it's "not fit for purpose"

but his ministers remain in office. So just how fragile is

power-sharing at the moment? Agreement at Stormont is rare these

days. All those in favour, say yes. Now the Mac no... -- no... It has

become a political pantomime, say some. After yesterday when the First

Minister said Stormont was not fit for purpose, he was side-by-side

with Martin McGuinness in the jobs announcement. Even though all talks

on parades and flags have failed, this summer was the quietest

marching season in years. The parties might be split on several

issues but they managed agreement yesterday on a new education

authority. Crisis, what crisis? This academic says Stormont was back

troubles need to be put into context. The dysfunctional politics

we have now might be seen as a good result. 20 years ago, F we had said

we are where we are now, most have the Mac people would think it is a

tremendous advance. The question is whether the kind of power-sharing

arrangement we have is as good as it gets. That is a discussion for

political unity is itself. What a talent as an available? The party

could go straight into negotiations or call an election and then have

negotiations. Other could admit defeat and go back to direct rule.

There is no shortage of options and no shortage of advice on the street.

Find agreement, work. If you're in business, you work with people you

do not like. That is a fact of life. I did not think they are performing

at all. None of them. It is just party politics every time. Stop

fighting, get on with things. I feel that the politicians are not

listening to the people. It is a joke there, all the pills are

politicians. -- all the politicians. The rest of the UK succeeded with

what is happening in Scotland. Over there, the question is, how much

power to Scotland want? Over here, the issue is whether Stormont can't

successfully function with the powers it has already. -- can

successfully function. The Historical Institutional Abuse

Inquiry has heard that the fallout from a

Child Migrant Scheme from Northern Ireland to Australia in the last

century could have repercussions for In the final testimony to the

inquiry, a woman made an emotional plea for help to trace her family's

medical records in Northern Ireland. She said she has lost two

of her children to unexplained The woman told the enquiry that

heart quest to find her past continues although she has

discovered some information. She was born in the 1950s under the age of

eight months was taken into care. At four and a half years of age, she

was put on a board to Australia. The women, no 60s, was eventually given

her mother 's identity but has never been able to trace her father. Her

relatives alter he was a positive -- Protestant landowner. One of four

daughters died as a baby and a 26 and son died suddenly in 2005. --

one of her daughters. The women said the scheme defined her past and has

potential to threaten the future of her family. After losing two

children, she said, it is still important to find the medical

records for her children and grandchildren. The enquiry heard

more about what the state knew about the Child Migrant Scheme. The senior

consul to the enquiry presented details of the letter from 1955 from

the Stormont Department of home affairs. It was written after

departmental inspector visited Nazareth house in Belfast. The

inspector was called that another children's home could not cope with

numbers sent there from Belfast. The alternative, according to the

letter, was to send children to Australia. Referring to children,

she wrote, this is how they will be disposed of.

The move to reduce the number of education boards here has wasted

millions of pounds, according to trade unions.

Attempts to create the Education and Skills Authority failed.

Instead, a single board will replace the five current boards

Our education correspondent Maggie Taggart explains.

The grand plan was to bring education under one umbrella to

offer equal treatment to pupils across Northern Ireland and also to

streamline the bureaucracy which duplicated key services in five

different boards. The original idea of the meat of the range of

education authorities, including the five boards, the Council for

Catholic education, and particularly the exams body. They would form one

body. Now instead, only some boards will be merged and they will be

absorbed into one giant education board. This follows years of

political wrangling over a perceived threat to some schools and

representation for the controlled schools sector. Board staffs have

suffered a freeze on recruitment during the stalemate and no unions

are worried about job security. They will be issues about moving from a 1

board to five boards in annual. At senior levels, they will be issues.

For other staff, it is the location of the jobs in relation to

particular services. Teachers point to the millions spent on preparation

for BSE, money which could have paid for many jobs and equipment. I get

very frustrated about it. Unfortunately, the unions have taken

the brunt of it. There is not the support they are in the boards for

the schools because the money is not there for that. Now the Executive

has agreed a single board, senior department officials will have to

construct legislation which can be approved in time for the launch of a

single board within six months. A female taxi driver in Londonderry

says she was left terrified after a youth put a knife to her throat

during an attempting hijacking During the ordeal,

he also put his hand over her mouth She refused to hand over her car

and the youth ran off. Here's our Northwest reporter,

Keiron Tourish. Linda Brady has been driving a taxi

for around seven years. But now she is having second thoughts as to

whether she should continue in the job. She was doing a night shift

when she got a booking on screen. She picked up a young man at the

junction of this road around 2am. He asked her to drive to Abercorn Road

when he entered a house and then came out before going on to a

different location. He put his hand... I felt his hand coming

around me with a knife. He said, keep driving straightforward. I

said, right, no problem. He shouted, keep driving straight. I thought,

what is going on here? I can't go on and try to talk to him. I said, calm

down. Can you please take your hand away from my mouth? I cannot

breathe. Linda believes the gift wanted her car for joyriding but she

did not know that at the time. Her family are de Boer upset at what

happened to her and want other drivers, especially women, to be

vigilant. -- her family are very upset. It is terrible that people

are doing things like this. All women taxi drivers should be

careful. I honestly did not know what he would do. I was not sure at

the time why he was doing it. Then I thought, this young man is going to

take me somewhere. When he asks me to pull over and get out of the car

and given him the keys, I realised he must be a joyrider. Frightening,

though? Very frightening. The police have issued a description. They

believe the man could be around 17 years of age, five foot five and

height, with short black hair. He was said to have been wearing a dark

Anglers in County Tyrone say they're not satisfied with

the official explanation of what caused a huge fish-kill

The incident happened at Brantry Lough at the end of June,

but as our reporter in the area has been finding out,

the fishermen believe the lough is not recovering as it should.

If I put that camera in, these fish, which normally would go away like a

rocket, they are very refined chick. -- Lafarge it. In all my years of

fishing, I have never seen the likes of that. Never. Something has gone

wrong here, and these anglers want to know exactly what. The trouble

began in June when huge numbers of trout and perch suddenly died. I

could not believe the amount. Eight men and a bolt the Mac boat -- boat

picked up a massive amount of fish. Many angles are not convinced about

what happened here. They want for their investigations into an

incident they say has devastated one of Northern Ireland's premier

fisheries. Two months later, we appear two -- we see other fish

affected. What killed these fish? Signs have cautioned against eating

any fish when certain algae has been found. People want to know, is this

lake safer mod? There is a health warning to say not to consume

anything in the lake. It is a place when people are frequently walking

here. If that is a health warning, those people should not be in the

vicinity of the loss. Someone has to address the problem and the sooner

the better. The signs are put up anywhere there is a suspicion of

algae being present. But tests have so far proved negative.

We will keep you up-to-date on that. Now, a pile of bricks has caused

some excitement in County Fermanagh. The bricks in question are the first

to be hand-made in the fields near Our Southwest reporter Julian Fowler

has been following the project to rediscover

a once thriving rural industry. And all but forgotten tradition.

Brickmaking would once have been a common sight in the fields around

Fermanagh. Arney brick was used to build many old buildings in

Enniskillen. It was backbreaking work, supplementing the family

income. You were looking at 3000 bricks being made every day. These

were big structures in the fields, taking a lot of effort for very

little income. But it was part of that cash income they could not have

got anywhere else. Back then, they did not have washing machines, but

getting covered in play these days is all part of the fun. Islamist

down -- you put it down and it comes out there. What do you like about

it? Getting dirty! Although much of the local brickmaking knowledge has

been loll -- lost, some have been continuing a family tradition. Of

course, it was hard work. In the 1920s, each firm would produce about

25,000 bricks a year. A man remembers seeing the last kiln here

as a young boy. I was brought from the classroom by the master to see

what he said he thought would be the last of this information at. -- in

County Fermanagh. And he was right. It has not happened since then.

Having been paid for three days and then cooled down, it was time to see

if the bricks would fire. And this is the finished brick. They might

not be good enough to build houses with, but the community here have

heard a lot of fun reconnecting with their past.

Great to see that revival. We all love story in which someone

battles back from the brink. Stephen Watson is here with

this evening's sport. Less than a year ago, Stuart Olding,

one of our brightest rugby prospects,

feared his career might be over. Capped once for Ireland,

his cruciate ligament snapped while representing Ulster Ravens

last November. But as Nikki Gregg reports,

he's back with a bang and pushing to hold on to his shirt

for this Friday's opening home match He spent ten months on the sidelines

but the elusive running skills, composure on the ball and strength

shown little sign of rustiness. Stuart Olding is eager to make up

for lost time. His return has demanded patients. The main thing

was to make sure I kicked all the boxes with the staff under Sergeant.

I did that and everything went smoothly through rehab. I am really

happy physically how I am performing at the minute. He needs to be at the

top of his game. The midfielder is one of Ulster's strongest areas in

terms of options, with internationals Luke Marshall and

Darren Cave competing for selection, along with another player

who is qualified for Irish duty. They started in the game against

Leinster. This could be a partnership that pays for club and

country. Amtrak to pick his brain as much so camelid as much as I can. --

I am trying to. He is a great talent and it is great to play with him.

One thing he has yet to experiences playing at the redeveloped stadium.

I have been a couple of times and it has been packed. The atmosphere is

brilliant. It will be even better when I am on the pitch. Back doing

what he does best. He is playing well.

After a second stint in charge, Liam Bradley has today stepped

down as Antrim County senior football manager.

It's understood Bradley, who has previously steered the county to an

Ulster provincial final in 2009, was open to staying on in the post but

was reluctant to be reinterviewed for the job and opted to walk away.

Under-21 manager Frank Fitzsimmons is to succeed him.

Rory McIlroy tees off tomorrow in the Tour Players Championship

If he wins the tournament, he will pocket a $1.5 million first

prize, and gets a bonus of an amazing $10 million for

Angie is here with the weather forecast.

Another glorious day of course and although the figures are not in yet,

we have seen temperatures of around 20 Celsius in some spots. Once we

get the final figures, some spots will be even higher than that. It

has been a glorious day. 20 of sunshine in Ireland and Britain.

Patchy cloud in the Eastern counties at times, hill fog clinging onto the

top of some spots there. That will clear away and we will have a fine

evening. Plenty of sunshine to end the day. We will hold onto the clear

spills through the night. Temperatures generally between 7-9

Celsius although we could get the odd approval spot that gets close to

freezing with some ground frost. In some areas, maybe around Fermanagh,

we could see some missed. The dryness continues into tomorrow.

Perhaps more variable cloud than today. A murky starred in some

places with the mist and fog in low-lying areas. But could cause

some visibility issues early on. Eventually it will break up and we

will see sunny spells coming through. If you're on the Antrim

coast, it is a bit fresh with that onshore easterly breeze. They do not

have to come far inland to feel the warmth, particularly in the west and

north-west. That is where we will see the highest temperatures at

around 21 Celsius. As for Freddie, misty and murky in places,

particularly in the East. But another fine day with spells of

sunshine. Into the weekend, still try, with some bright spells.