09/02/2016 BBC Newsline

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Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline:

Arlene Foster says Martin McGuinness paid tribute to a man she believes

He thought it appropriate to speak that Seamus McElwaine's funeral. A

man who had been responsible for murdering many people.

Turmoil on ticket allocation day for the Euros -

but has UEFA thrown Northern Ireland fans an unexpected lifeline?

A second man is shot dead in Dublin within three days - Gardai announce

It's a market, but why aren't more of us switching our

We are too old cultures, stuck in the mud probably.

It's game over for one of Ireland's greatest ever rugby players.

We've reaction as Paul O'Connell is forced to retire.

And prepare for a chilly night - but you can probably ditch

The First Minister has spoken of the difficulties she has

experienced with the Deputy First Minister because of his graveside

oration at the funeral of the man who, she believes,

But Arlene Foster has said she will work with Martin McGuinness

Mrs Foster was interviewed for tonight's BBC Spotlight programme.

There is some flash photography in this report from Declan Lawn.

Arlene Foster was eight years old when her father John Kelly was shot

by the IRA at the family farm just outside County Fermanagh. He had

gone out to check on his cattle when two IRA men opened fire with

automatic rifles. He had a miraculous escape managing to make

it back into his house having been struck by the only one bullet that

had grazed his head. My father came crawling in and he was bleeding. He

told us all to go upstairs because in his bedroom there were flowers

which had been fitted in case of an emergency -- players. We were all

lying on the bedroom floor. I think it was less than ten minutes later

the police arrived. Obviously my father had to go to hospital after

that. That must have felt like a very long ten minutes. It was. A

very long ten minutes. The family were later told by police that they

suspected that this man, Seamus McElwaine, had been one of the gun

that night. It was IRA killer convicted of murders but

he was sort to be responsible for many more. He was killed by the SAS

in 1986 as he was preparing to ambush a British army patrol in

Fermanagh. Martin McGuinness spoke at his funeral. He said that

compares to Margaret Thatcher, Seamus McElwaine was a saint. It is

quite difficult. I mean, if you talk to Martin McGuinness now he will

say, and I heard him say it just recently, that unionists and the

enemy, the enemy is poverty, unemployment, this is that on the

other, that is fine but it doesn't take away from the fact that he

thought it appropriate to speak at Seamus McElwaine's general. A man

who had been responsible for murdering many people in County

Fermanagh. Would you describe yourself at any time as having been

bitter about what you saw when you are going up? I have no doubt I was

better when I was a teenager. It was a very difficult thing to have to

deal with in a young mind. So I have no doubt that was the case. Have you

changed? Goodness, I hope I have changed, I hope I have matured and I

hope they realise what was going on and that the vast majority of people

were not involved in that sort of thing. Arlene Foster says she is

willing to work with Martin McGuinness to create a better future

for Northern Ireland. Earlier today Martin McGuinness issued a statement

in which he said that there is heard on all sides. But that he and Arlene

Foster can now give positive leadership in the work of

reconciliation and coming to terms with the past.

You can see that Spotlight programme tonight at 10:45pm here on BBC One

Our Political Editor, Mark Devenport, is at Stormont.

How do you think that past influences the working relationship

of the First and Deputy First Ministers?

I think that Arlene Foster will never really think of Martin

McGuinness as a friend in personal terms. We all know her story that

she was recounting. We also know she probably would have felt as a young

unionist in no doubt about the role that Martin McGuinness played in the

IRA and Sinn Fein but she has been able to compartmentalise this. She

knew what she was getting into and I would expect she will continue to

have a working relationship with Martin McGuinness, maybe a little

bit more akin to the one that Peter Robinson had with them than that

relationship that he had with Ian Paisley. The two politicians were

due to make a joint public appearance tomorrow, that has now

been postponed. Do you think it has any connection with the programme?

Officials say not, they say it is because we have got a big justice

bill going through here with some very controversial amendments in

relation to abortion and because of that cluster have decided to put

that hearing off until March. But that was the very venue we saw the

pictures of Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness Patrick Auld the chuckle

Brothers pictures and it might have made for a slightly difficult

hearing tomorrow if this was still very fresh in the public

imagination. Looking ahead to the Assembly and we are hearing this

evening there might be further developments in the Fermanagh South

Tyrone constituency. Not involving Arlene Foster but another well known

female politician, Michelle Gildernew. You will remember she was

controversially dropped from the ticket I Sinn Fein after a local

meeting that but Phil Fanning in back in the race. Now it seems Sinn

Fein has organised a selection for a South Tyrone candidate, Michelle

Gildernew will be a racing certainty to get the nomination and so it is

likely that they will now have four candidates in the race for the

election in men. For now, thank you. Still to come... Courts are closing

to save money, but what will be the economic effect on the towns they

serve? The Gardai are setting up

a new permanent armed unit for Dublin following a second

killing in four days in what's believed to be a feud

between criminal gangs. The latest victim was shot

in the city last night. Our Dublin correspondent

Shane Harrison has more. A short time ago the Gardai

commissioner is speaking here at the force's headquarters and said the

extra 5 million euros promised by the Government would be spent on the

fight against crime and terrorism. That means more armed patrols on

Dublin's streets. In the hope of preventing murders like that last

night of Edward Fudge senior in the North inner city area

If local people and their representatives say there is a sense

of fear, foreboding and fright. It is very sad that two men have lost

their lives. This area is known and there is a dark cloud hanging over.

It is except in the night. It is a fear in dignity. He was a

hard-working guy. Late 50s, maybe early 60s. Very quiet individual. To

my knowledge he was not a player in serious crime. Many believe he was

an easy target murdered because of his surname. Last night a gang of at

least four men locals say shot him dead in the hallway of his local

apartment because he was the uncle of Gary Hutch who was murdered and

the uncle of Gerry Hutch and a one-time notorious, no. With

authorities pledging more money in the fight against the criminal gangs

and priorities, the Gardai Commissioner last night was not

categoric about who was responsible for this spate of murder. It is very

early stages of the investigation and we need to keep an open mind and

follow all avenues of enquiry. That is what has been done. A lot of

painstaking work going on and all claims of responsibility or any line

of enquiry will be fully followed through. We have had claim and

counterclaim, that is still under investigation and like all the other

lines of investigation, have to be taken very seriously and will be

pursued as a line of investigation. Gardai have been criticised for

their lack of intelligence about last Friday's touch on a boxing way.

And with ears of retaliation growing, and appealed for calm,

parts of Dublin remain on edge. It was widely believed it would be some

form of retaliation for what happened on Friday but few expected

it to happen so quickly. And with two funerals due to take place,

there is now more of a hope than expectation that this current cycle

of violence is ended. A lot of Northern Ireland's most

loyal football fans have been voicing their anger at not getting

as many match tickets as they were expecting for this

summer's European Championships. Many of those who had attended

the most qualifying games had their accommodation and travel

to France already booked believing that being on a priority list

would get them into the games. Northern Ireland had qualified

for the Euro finals, a loyalty points system for fans had

been put in place by the IFA, and now today, this -

ticketing turmoil in France. The fans were dancing in the streets

when Northern Ireland qualified for their first major soccer

championship finals in 30 years. In the wake of that victory over

Greece at Windsor Park, all that was on the minds

of the supporters was travelling to France and getting tickets

for their team's matches. The IFA put a loyalty points system

in place to favour those fans who been to the most qualifying

games running up to the finals. But when Uefa announced the ticket

allocations this morning, it was clear that something

had gone badly wrong. The issue is about how the scheme

had been implemented or not been blunted. That is something that Uefa

have to answer because they have the people who are responsible for

allocating the tickets and they should've invalided this properly.

It appears they haven't done that. It is not about which fans got and

which fans didn't, it is about whether the scheme was invalided

correctly. More than 29,000 tickets

were allocated to Northern Ireland for the three games against Poland,

Ukraine and Germany. Carl McClean is a local councillor

as well as a Northern Ireland He hadn't registered for any loyalty

points, but he got all This is it, I am absolutely

delighted to be going but it is so unfair for people who've shown much

more loyalty than me in the last ten, 20 years. This is Uefa saw the

need to fix that. By lunchtime the IFA had been

inundated with calls from angry fans By early this evening,

news came through that Uefa were making more tickets available

for the Northern Ireland v Poland game, which may go some way

to tempering the anger I applied for three and I am a

blockbuster. I have been away all over the world, Israel, Austria, two

World Cups. I never got any. What they are doing is ridiculous. Other

countries are going to get more probably. They are probably not

going to be used. It is depressing. Good luck to anyone who has got a

ticket that doesn't go to the matches but for the rest of us fans

who go to home matches and away matches, it is soul destroying. The

thing I have looked forward all my life to go to sea, from France, this

was the dream of a lifetime for me to see Northern Ireland playing in a

competition. Joining me pitch side is the Chief

Executive of the IFA, Patrick Nelson. Earlier today you are saying

you weren't sure whether or not this point system had been fully

implemented by Uefa. We have spoken to them since? What happened is that

Uefa divided the tickets between follow my team, which is you can

follow them throughout the group stage or even all the way to the

final or single match tickets. The issue that can about that we

discovered this morning in terms of people being disappointed related to

single match ticket applications to Kerry in category three pricing,

particularly for the Poland game. The demand for those tickets was so

high and remember the total amount was something like 50,000

applications, 29,000 tickets, even our top priority supporters couldn't

get a ticket so that is why we go on to Uefa to clarify and we have had a

good results and so. How many extra tickets are being made available to

those fans that didn't get figures? We think it will be very close to

1000 or so new tickets. Those tickets will really be focused on

those people who are disappointed, but the Poland game, the ones who

applied for a single ticket in our top priority category. What will

happen the next couple days is that he ever will contact them and will

open up a ticket portal specifically for those people for that game and

they have the option key to apply and abide. Thank you for that. I

should say that, 50,000 people have asked for tickets to the matches in

France. At the end of the day, only about 30,000 of them will actually

get ticket so that leaves about 20,000 fans somewhat disappointed

even though it might not stop them going out to France to support their

team anyway. With two new companies joining

the local electricity market in the last few months,

there's been a huge push Last year the number of homes

switching supplier doubled and as many as 10,000 homes

switched every three months. Colletta Smith has been finding out

if changing supplier can On the hunt for a bargain -

in recent year's customers in Northern Ireland have had

more to choose from. And when it comes to electricity,

there's plenty of people People have become more savvy about

looking for deals and trying to find the right supplier in the market. I

think more of the younger generation are more keen to look for deals done

maybe the older generation, just not as aware.

The electricity market in Northern Ireland is gradually

Before 2007 the company now called Power NI provided the electricity

But since then competitors have been trying to take a slice

The number of houses leaving Power NI has doubled in the last year -

lured by small companies promising cheaper bills.

SSE Airtricity was the first big competitor on the market,

but now there are lots of others; Budget Energy, Electric

Ireland, Open Electric and Click Energy -

managing to slice away 10,000 customers in just three

Ranging from the most excess of the cheapest there is about ?100

difference in terms of costs or there are significant savings and

people can get a better deal by moving. We have seen prices come

down because more companies are competing? Certainly because there

are more competitors it is having a downward pressure on prices. The

market is sharpening up and getting a better offer consumers by the

consumer still has to make that choice. Sometimes they are reluctant

to do that. So, anybody tempted? No, just never thought of it. I would

listen to Martyn Lewis. He is very good at that. He would invite you to

shop around. We would switch to budget this week. Just this week?

What made you such as lack they were offering a deal of ?10 for the

switch and we were paying a lot more with the provider we were on. Why is

it that you wouldn't switch? We are stuck in the mud probably. And that

is the crux of it. Switching levels are increasing. A lot more people

are looking at the Paris to see if savings are available. It is the

same electricity you will get. The kettle boil in the same way, there

is no difference on the product, you're just getting into from a

different supplier from a different price.

More choice means customers need to pay a little more attention

Still to come on the programme before 7pm:

A legend retires - one of Ireland's greatest ever

players, forced by injury to hang up his boots.

The Justice Minister has defended his decision to close

David Ford said it was down to financial pressures

Some people have voiced their fear that the move will decrease access

to justice and could have a negative economic impact on some towns.

The verdict has been delivered - soon these gates will be

The Justice Minister has decided to shut down six courts

There are two reasons why these changes have to be made. In the

first place the significant reductions in the budget for the

Department of Justice mean it is not possible to continue to keep the

existing court in place. In the second case, we have a significant

reduction in business and we have a number of underused court buildings.

It was previously announced that Limavady would be closing.

Added to that will be Armagh, Lisburn, Magherafelt and Strabane.

Also on the list for closure is Ballymena.

This is Ballymena Courthouse and it is found here on Ballymoney

Along this street there are around half a dozen solicitor firms.

The fear is once the court goes, those firms and the business

they provide to this town will follow.

This court's closest neighbour is a hotel -

There are numerous solicitors offices around here. If the court

closed a number of those might relocate to stop. There is not a lot

else in this part of the council it was a reason for people to come down

here. I think the loss of it, they will definitely be at full blast on

the street. -- footfall lost. Since the beginning of the 19th

century, this court building has dominated one end of

the Mall in Armagh. Some fear it will now face

the same fate as another The evidence of what happens to a

building that falls into disuse, the jail was a fantastic building that

has been closed since 1986 and it is now going to rack and rent. Unless

something happens to Armagh courthouse, sobbing similar will

happen. -- something similar. In Strabane some feel that

a decision made to save the public It is the erosion of a vital public

service. If any minister was to talk about closing a school or health

centre because they wanted to save ?100,000, there would be uproar.

The Minister believes around ?2 million will be saved annually.

Three of the six courts will close this summer -

The boss of Aer Lingus and British Airways,

Willie Walsh, says a new fund under consideration by Stormont would be

a help to airlines looking at new routes in and out of Northern

There's due to be a decision next month on a financial package.

On a visit to Belfast, Mr Walsh said it could make a difference.

With that question, -- without question if you have an incentive

provided for the airport by the Government you will be trying to

look at it and that is what we do. We get contacted by governments,

cities, airports and they say, we want you to fly to our airport, we

want you to serve our city and our region and we will incentivise you

to do so. Of course that will make you look at it. Without question I

think it will be an advantage. Now sport - and an Irish sporting

legend has decided to finally hang He was revered by opponents,

respected by team mates, and renowned as an

inspirational leader. Paul O'Connell captained Ireland

to three Six Nations titles including a Grand Slam in 2009,

won the European Cup twice with his province Munster

and went on three British But a hamstring injury sustained

at the Rugby World Cup has now forced one of Ireland's greatest

ever rugby players to retire. For 13 years he was a tower at the

heart of Irish rugby. A standout performer in the famous green shirt,

as well as in the red of both his province Munster and the British and

Irish Lions with whom he toured three times, once as captain. At six

foot six and over 17 stone, he was a huge physical presence. He grew into

a leader who brought out the best in those around him including his

successor as Ireland captain. And Paul O'Connell! I think to put into

words is very difficult. I suppose the biggest thing for me is just he

probably is one of the players in world rugby that I have the most

admiration for in terms of what he has done. As much as anything how he

went about doing it. He really is what rugby is all about. O'Connell

had signed a contract to play for Toulon in France. But in a statement

today confirmed injury was ending his career.

It is quite sad. For him to go out that way but I think it was a

medical call. He is one of the greats in the dressing room before

the game and have time, the words that come out of his mouth, you just

can't help but be inspired. He didn't only deliver out there in the

pitch but also every other part of preparation. He is the guy who drove

most, who really step the standards and drove them on. He was going to

go to war, put his body on the line, set the standard for himself and you

just wanted to try and follow him and try and be up there at his

level. Paul O'Connell's playing days may be over, but a giant of the

game, the man from Munster leaves an unforgettable impression on Irish

sport. Chris Henry looks likely to feature

in Ulster's Pro12 fixture away The Ireland flanker has now

recovered from a shoulder injury and is available

to Les Kiss for selection. But Ian Humphreys is currently very

doubtful after he received a blow to the head during Friday's victory

over the Dragons. Carrick Rangers have been forced

to play their next three scheduled They must play at Crusaders ground

Seaview, following nine The first is this Thursday

versus Dungannon. The weather is next with Barra Best.

Believe it or not we have got dry weather in the forecast. A long time

since we have seen that plenty of it is on the way. It will be quite

chilly. Tonight temperatures will fall close to freezing. Below in

some countryside areas. A few showers lingering. There could be

some icy stretches tomorrow morning. Also frost and fog. Proper wintry

start tomorrow. Overall a pretty good day. Largely dry. Plenty of

sunshine. They discovered shower perhaps first thing tomorrow

morning. They will clear away but it may give a dusting of snow over some

hills and mountains. By the middle of the afternoon we will have plenty

of clear blue sky across many areas. Temperatures around six or seven but

the are light so a good crisp winter 's day to get out and enjoy. If you

are travelling tomorrow it is a pretty similar capture across much

of Britain. Quiet but a little cloudy with a few showers towards

part of the South West of Ireland. Elsewhere it is a fairly calm day

with temperatures reaching between the mid to high single figures. For

Northern Ireland we can expect spells of sunshine to last right

through until nightfall. But thanks to that clear sky again tomorrow

night it will be quite chilly and temperatures falling back below

freezing again. Especially in the countryside. This time more

widespread. A frosty night tomorrow night. Possibly with the odd stretch

of ice the showers but not an awful lot to worry about. Some fog again

will be their first thing on Thursday morning but there will be

plenty of dry weather again will stop perhaps a little bit more cloud

at times but still not too bad. It that the damp weather may be per of

county down by the evening. Overall another dry picture. Temperatures

five - seven soldiers. Friday and the weekend, Friday is shaping up to

be largely dry but low-pressure moving in from the Atlantic which

might change things between now and then. We will keep you up-to-date

but tonight, keep warm. A nice picture in Portrush. A reminder of

our main story is deceiving. The First Minister Arlene Foster says

the Deputy First Minister paid tribute to an IRA man is she

believes dry to kill her father. It is that Northern Ireland's football

fans are to get close to an extra 1000 tickets after protests over

allocations for their European Championship. You can give us your

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