30/09/2014 BBC Newsline

Cross-community tributes have been paid to the two nuns

from north Belfast who died in a road crash near Newry this morning.

The Sisters of Mercy were travelling to join others from the order

at the Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre when their car was

Three officers suffered minor injuries.

The life of dedication ended in tragedy.

Woman-macro, a published author, and Sister Frances Forde, a retired

school principal, were on their way to a conference. -- Sister Marie

Duddy. Both were killed. Three police

officers in the other car escaped without injury. What exactly

happened is at the centre of the police and released ombudsman's

investigation. We need to piece together exactly what happened, and

one of the ways we do that is by speaking to people who saw or heard

what happened. We would ask anybody who has anything to offer us by way

of witness information to contact us.

The nuns were part of the Sisters of Mercy order and lived in North

Belfast. They were both well-known throughout

the community from the work in education through to Sister Marie's

work in interfaith dialogue. They were very well known in north

Belfast where they lived on the Crumlin Road, and the News of the

sisters' death today is just devastating. I knew them over many

years, they were gracious, well -- and with real charisma. That unusual

mix of gifts is why there will be so missed over and above the work they

were doing. -- they will be so missed.

As tributes are paid, there have been calls to avoid tragedies like

this by openly signposting and underpass which allows motorists to

get to the other side of the road without crossing the main

carriageway. Investigations into allegations

of serious criminal behaviour by the police in Troubles murders are

going to be delayed because of cuts And the PSNI says that because

of a reduction in its budget, it's having to shut

down the Historical Enquiries Team. Here's our home affairs

correspondent, Vincent Kearney. Kingsmill 's, January 1976. Ten

Protestant workers were shot dead by the IRA. The Police Ombudsman was

due to investigate claims that police may have been able to prevent

the attack but didn't do so in order to protect an informer. But that

investigation is one of the case is now delayed because of budget cuts.

Hit 18 times, Alan Black survived, while Karen Armstrong's brother was

one of those killed. It beggars belief that after 39 years, within

touching distance of getting a proper investigation, it is snatched

away on the excuse of money. Money should be put into the ombudsman's

office, just shouldn't have a price type. I despair of justice in

Northern Ireland. Murder is the ultimate crime. My brother and nine

others, their lives were so cruelly and viciously taken on the roadside,

and we have been left with that loss for 39 years and we are still

waiting on some justice and truth. The ombudsman faces many other

delays, including investigations into the murder of 12 Protestants

and dozens of killings by loyalists based on this farm in South Armagh.

Inspectors today praised the work of the unborn -- of the ombudsman. He

has come -- terminated the contract of ten senior investigators working

with a unit dealing with historical investigators. A cut of 25%,

reducing the number from 40 to 30. We were given the resources to

undertake this work over a six-year period. The direct impact of the

cuts to the history directorate mean that it will take now at least 12

years to complete the cases we have, and how we deal with additional

cases will be a further problem for us.

Another instrument for dealing with the past, the historic enquiries

team, has also suffered as a lot of cuts to the budget. The police today

announced that more than 300 temporary agency staff will not have

their contracts renewed, meaning the unit will since two operate at the

end of the year. -- will cease to operate. We have to deal with

keeping people safe today. And we will do that first before we deal

with elements of dealing with the past.

The Chief Constable and Police Ombudsman both say these cuts are

unavoidable. They have warned that more could follow.

The Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has refused to extend

a licence to allow a fracking company to test drill

A three-year exploration licence granted to Tamboran Resources

It's the second government decision to go against Tamboran.

Last month, the Environment Minister Mark Durkan told

the company it would have to make a full planning application for a

Tamboran announced this evening it would challenge both ministers

Our south-west reporter Julian Fowler has been talking to

the Enterprise Minister about her decision.

Today was the deadline day for Tamboran Resources -- Tamboran to

make a decision to go ahead with drilling or drop its plans. In

August the environment Minister said they would require full planning

permission in order to drill a test borehole. Today the enterprise

minister has decided she will not extend its exploration licence.

Arlene Foster is with me. Why have you decided not to grant an

extension? I have to consider whether I believe that a work plan

would be able to complete within the time allotted to it under the

license, and I did believe that Boren would be able to complete

their work plan and therefore despite the fact they have asked for

an extension as they did in March, I've decided on this extension --

occasion not to go ahead. They could argue it was because of the

environment Minister's decision not to allow the terrestrial to go

ahead. That is a matter of -- between the company and the

Department of the Environment. I have to assess whether they are

going to comply with the licence conditions, and I don't believe they

would be able to do that. Is this the end of fracking in Fermanagh?

Tamboran's licence has come to an end as of today, and it is now up to

them as to what action they take. I have decided that the licence will

not be extended. The Enterprise Minister speaking

earlier to our reporter A former consultant at

Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital's School of Dentistry has been struck

off the dental register A disciplinary panel found

Professor Philip Lamey guilty of more than 100 charges of

malpractice between 2006 and 2010. They related to 27 patients,

four of whom subsequently died. Professor Lamey has 28 days to

appeal the decision by the General Dental Council, otherwise he will no

longer be able to work in dentistry. Football, and Derry City drew

one-all with Bray Wanderers Rory Patterson got Derry's equaliser

with a penalty in the second half. How's the weather looking

as we move into October? We had a little bit of rain for the

last day of the driest September on record. We back to 1910, just 6.5

millimetres of rain, around 7% of the long-term average. We have a

batch of rain tonight pushing through into the early hours, but

nothing particularly heavy. Temperatures generally" is, just one

or two spots in the West that made it 28 or 9 degrees later in the

night. The first day of October is looking more cheery. Some decent

spells of sunshine. If you are up early week and have some cloud or

patchy rain to get rid of, but it will move away very sharply. Quite a

brisk wind over Scotland, and a few showers over the four Northwest. For

much of England and Wales it is a cloudy affair. Maybe the odd shower

in the far south-east as well, but some bright spells as well.

Temperatures into the low 20s. For Northern Ireland in behind the

weather from it is going to be a fresher feeling day in that westerly

breeze. Temperatures 14 or 15 degrees. Perhaps just the old shower

tickling into the north coast. Into Thursday, after a cooler night, by

the time we get to Friday it looks like autumn arrives properly.