03/03/2016 BBC Newsline

day around 5 Celsius. That's it from us. Huw Edwards will

You us. Huw Edwards will be here at

this game and that had gone on before the vote, it wasn't just Fal

how we were treated. -- it was foul. was like a "pied piper" for young

people in Castlederg, Basil McCrea is cleared

of all misconduct allegations by the Assembly Standards

Commissioner but criticised by MLAs Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary

unveils his airlines new routes Could the call of the corncrake ring

out over Rathlin once again? We'll look at efforts to bring

the much-loved bird back The news that Northern Ireland fans

were dreading, Chris Brunt will miss Rio 2016.

Warnings have been issued for both snow and ice across NI.

Good evening and welcome to the programme.

The Director of the Royal College of Nursing has told the BBC she's

furious about the lack of progress in setting up a group to look

at the issue of abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.

The Health Minister said he would set up a working group

Meanwhile, Sarah Ewart, the woman who brought this issue

to the public's attention, says she believes it was

Our Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly has the story.

This is the letter we sent out to all 108 MLAs. Sarah Ewart continues

to lobby politicians around the issue of Northern Ireland's abortion

guidelines. It is just asking if they have set up their working

group. It's almost two and a half years since she went public about

travelling to England for an abortion after being told her baby

had severe brain malformation and no chance of survival. She says she is

frustrated about the lack of progress in setting up a working

group on the issue of fatal faecal abnormalities which was announced

last month by the DUP. It was all to do with the election and to make

them look good, but they're not doing anything, are they? In my

letter, I said the treatment I had was filed. The scaremongering that

had gone on before the vote, it was just file how we were treated. But

Sarah isn't the only one putting pen to paper. The director of the Royal

College of Nursing has also written to the Health Minister venting their

anger. I am livid. I think this is a way of fobbing off a because single

day that the Northern Ireland executive and the wider Assembly

deliberate, consider, think and work their way through this issue, a

woman somewhere in Northern Ireland is being given devastating news.

Other medical professionals who work at the very heart of this issue and

said they are also awaiting contacts from the Department. We have been in

touch with the minister over the past six months to a year on this

matter and I have found the most engaging on the issue, but now,

there is a sense of urgency. But the Health Minister has defended his

actions. In a statement to the BBC, Simon Hamilton said...

He also said he remains fully determined to commit to the group

reporting back in six months. In another development, MLAs could

receive advice from academics from the local universities as they also

plan to set up their own working group on abortion. It is understood

they are also frustrated by the lack of progress.

Child killer Robert Howard was like a pied piper to young

people in Castlederg, the Arlene Arkinson inquest

The claim was made by Heather Moore, a former district nurse who said

there was a constant stream of them to Howard's flat.

He was acquitted of the 15-year-old's murder

Arlene Arkinson was well known to Heather Moore. A district nurse, she

knew most of the young people in the Castlederg area and live next door

to Robert Howard's flats. Heather Moore told the inquest there was a

constant stream of young people entering the fly, especially

weekends. They included Arlene Arkinson and to -- her slightly

older friend, Donna Quinn. It was almost always children in groups,

though she is so wanting each girl enter a loner, a girl who Howard was

later charged with assaulting. Of the groups, she said there were so

many at times it was like the Pied Piper on a Saturday. It must have

been the place to go on Saturday for the young ones. This is Patricia

Quinn arriving for the inquest recently. Heather Moore said she

once saw Quinn arrived at Howard's flat early one morning, already

discovering her Donna Van tracking of the premises. Patricia Quinn

denies bin Howard's girlfriend, though other witnesses have insisted

she was. -- denies being. Later, three are first cousins of

Arlene Arkinson are described and being in Howard's flat with others.

One called him a strange, creepy sort of mana. Another said that all

been had confessed to her she had fallen pregnant and had a

miscarriage in the summer of 1994, but she added that she never really

believed., meanwhile, the Ark in some's legal team has expressed

dismay that key documents have not been shown to them by the.

The Assembly Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain has dismissed

all complaints brought against the Lagan Valley MLA

Basil McCrea, alleging he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour

or sexual misconduct towards his staff.

Our political editor, Mark Devenport, reports.

NI 21 was launched by former Ulster Unionists Basil McCrea and John

McAllister. But the party imploded spectacularly on the eve of the

European elections in 2014, with the two politicians divided over whether

they should define themselves as Unionists. Allegations also surfaced

that Mr McRae had involved himself in bullying of sexual misconduct

towards his stuff. The Stormont standards Commissioner, Douglas

Bain, has investigated and dismissed 12 separate comp against us

complaints against Mr MacRae. He finds the Lagan Valley MLA was not

guilty of breaking any Stormont rules. In relations one Cramer that

McCrea took voyeuristic photographs, the standards commission expresses

his view that some photographs shown to him had been heavily doctored by

a person and an owner and none of these photographs was voyeuristic.

I'm pleased I've been exonerated, totally exonerated. It has been a

long time in coming, almost two years. One of the things I'm not so

happy about is that some has been redacted. I did not want it

redacted, I wanted it all out, but there is enough out to clear my

name. MLAs on the storm Micro Standards committee believe he is

not beyond criticism and in a report they say he exercised poor judgment

in allowing young women into his hotel rooms and criticised how we

spoke to his stuff on occasions. The committee has agreed with the

Commissioner that the code of conduct strictly applied has not

been breached by Mr MacRae. There are a number of complaints, however,

where the number -- committee has expressed its concern in respect his

conduct or judgment towards his stuff. Those are areas he needs to

reflect upon lessons should be learned going forward. The NI 21

leader thanked the committee for its advice and noted one incident have

been resolved to his and his staff members mutual satisfaction. As

MacRae says he is fighting was no intention of running away from

politics. -- Basil McCrea. He is expected to defend his seat here in

Lagan Valley in the Assembly elections in May.

You're watching BBC Newsline, still to come on the programme:

In the battle against so-called legal highs,

scientists at Queens University develop a new test to rapidly

identify the substances in the drugs.

The Culture Arts and Leisure Minister Caral Ni Chuilin has walked

out of an Assembly committee hearing where she was expected to answer

questions over the Casement Park redevelopment project.

The Minister objected to being questioned under oath

while other's hadn't been sworn in before doing so.

Mervyn Jess's report begins with the moment the Minister

finished her 80-minute-long reading of a prepared text.

I look forward to hearing from the committee. Thank you. If the

minister going to answer any questions? Sorry, sorry, sorrow

minister! This is how the minister brought her appearance in front of

the committed to a close, more than an hour after she began reading her

opening statement. Some had expected it, but others were left

dumbfounded. The culture arts and leisure Minister took exception to

being sworn an oath to answer questions on safety issues about the

Casement Park development in west Belfast while others had. I swear by

Almighty God, that the evidence... She went ahead with her opening

statements while questioning the committee's fairness. I will be

happy to take questions in the future, but after the committee has

decided that all the winners has will be questions on oath or that no

witnesses will be questioned under those conditions. It is only then

that I will return to this committee to answer questions as soon as

clarity has been achieved. I look forward to hearing from the

committee. Thank you very much. Thank you. Is the minister going and

any questions? Sorry, sorry, sorry minister! Police said an answer the

questions. I think I have made it clear I'm not come by to answer

questions unless you come fly with my position. Thank you. The minister

relieves -- leaves this and I think it is unprecedented and I think it

is discourteous. It is the latest in a string of discourtesy is extended

to this committee. The ongoing saga over Casement Park continues.

The last of Stormont's double jobbing politicians is to stand down

The DUP's Gregory Campbell says he won't be fighting the Assembly

Instead, he will concentrate on his role as MP for East Londonderry,

A court has allowed the Attorney General to become

involved in the Ashers Bakery's appeal against a discrimination

It was ordered to pay ?500 for refusing to make a cake

John Larkin raised an issue with the lawfulness

of the legislation at the centre of the case.

For the first time in five years, Northern Ireland will have an air

Berlin is back on the schedule of Belfast International,

Its boss Michael O'Leary was here today, not only promoting

the routes but also the campaign for the UK to stay in Europe.

Here's our business correspondent Julian O'Neill.

Michael only a report on a bit of a show, I'd kind of come fly with me

routine on the roof of a Belfast hotel. But on a ledge for the

cameras, to publicise an news of seven routes launching out of

Belfast. Pick of the destinations on Berlin and Milan, both have

potential to help inbound tourism. The other five routes are already

served by rivals and mostly to sunshine spots. Politicians talk the

talk, but when it comes to walking the walk, they do nothing. The

airport is receiving no support from the executive despite the fact that

these are two of the routes that have been identified from a Northern

Ireland perspective that they wanted to see developed. Ryan thinks it can

make a go or three times a week service to Berlin, a route easyJet

ended years ago and the airport is buoyant at this announcement. This

time, we see it's been a real success. Michael's is already

talking about increasing frequency going forward. They are only putting

in three aircraft, only, and Michael's already talking about four

or five. If that comes off, it will be fantastic for us. Mr Leary also

used the trip to spell out his views on Europe. He was keynote speaker at

the business event and back on the foot on the roof was waving a

placard supporting the Yes campaign. Boris Johnson will not use -- lose

his job if you leave the EU. But ordinary workers in transport and

tourism could. Jobs will be lost of the UK leads the European Union.

Reiner begins operations from the International next month with the

Gatwick service. The other routes take off in September and October.

A Presbyterian minister well-known for her cross community work

is to stand for the Ulster Unionist Party in north Belfast

Lesley Carroll has stepped aside from her church role

until the election on the 5th of May.

She says she wants to represent Nationalists and Republicans

I have always been a unionist and people have perceived to me, even in

cross community contexts, to be a unionist. It is a different

situation of course to stand with a party, but I want to stand inside at

Unionism but also to stand for everyone.

A major regeneration scheme in Belfast has been bought been

Castlebrooke Investments has taken control of Royal Exchange,

a swathe of properties between Royal Avenue

It was sold by the Cerberus investment fund, which had control

of the loans underlying those properties.

The battle against so-called legal highs has been boosted

following the development of a new test which can quickly

identify the substances within the drugs.

Scientists at Queen's University have come up with a new screening

method which will help the authorities issue prompt

Our reporter Rick Faragher has been at the science lab at Queen's School

I'm here in one of the laboratories away massive part of this research

has taken place using everything from the larger machines you see

behind me too much smaller hand-held devices. The leading academic in

this research is Professor Stephen Bell. What is this all about? What's

we are interested in are things that come in these packages. They are

so-called legal highs or normal psychoactive substances. We want to

find a way of determining what the chemical structures of these

compounds actually is and we've been using these small, hand-held laser

-based devices. If we want to detect what is present in these samples, we

take the device, pointed at the sample, press the button, a laser

comes out and then we detect it. We get a series of bands that tell us

what the composition likely is. Every compound has a different

signature. Who is making these substances and how are they made and

where are they coming from? It must be a skilled chemist. Where these

people are, we do not know. It is a global problem and I guess they are

being produced all over the world, they certainly been sold

internationally. Are newer on the different types of legal --

so-called legal highs all the time, it must be difficult to keep up

with. Our bid defeated ultimately? In the end, we will have two defeat

it through education. Prohibition helps, but education is the way

forward really. Thank you, Professor. The issue of so-called

legal highs, a serious problem in Northern Ireland in recent years,

but today, a breakthrough in the war against them.

A generation ago, it was a sound that heralded the start of summer.

The distinctive call of the corncrake was often heard

But changes in farming meant they've all but died out.

Now conservationists think they may be able to bring them back

by hoodwinking some of their Scottish cousins.

Our Agriculture and Environment Correspondent Conor Macauley

On a fresh spring morning, a group of intrepid conservationists are

heading out onto the water. They want to entice back a bird that was

once common in our meadows but has been all but wiped out by the switch

to silage. The corncrake is the secret bird that likes cover. His

numbers declined rapidly in the 1980s. Silage cutting and the way it

was harvested, from the edges of fields to the middle, meant loss of

habitat and the birds themselves. This little ball down here, that is

perfect corncrake habitats. That is because they are he meadows and if

corncrakes were to come here and a nest, it will be cut late in the

season and the birds would have a chance to hatch and rear their

chicks. When the time came to cut those fields, it will be done in a

way to let the corncrakes escape into the field margins. And those

margins are what the conservationists are here to work

on. This is a good place to try and bring the corncrake back, the land

is managed less intensively and is slap bang in the flight path for

corncrake heading from Africa to somewhere in the Scottish islands.

To draw them in, they are planting nettles dug up weeks ago in County

Down. They grow early and provide cover for calling males in late

April. We are trying to almost fulfil their happy days and

potentially, they will start here, breed, and we will have the

corncrakes turn here to the Ireland. The last calling males was heard

here in 2014. He stayed for a few weeks until a helicopter landed in

the same field and scared him off. The conservationists will be hoping

their work pays off and any calling corncrake which lands the Shia will

not face such noisy competition. -- which lands this year.

Now sport and some grim news confirmed today

for the Northern Ireland football team ahead of this summer's European

Yes, the news fans and management were dreading.

Midfielder Chris Brunt requires knee surgery and will miss Euro 2016.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O' Neill's immediate reaction

was: "I'm devastated for him and I'm devastated for the team."

Scanners had shown that Chris Brunt ruptured the interior of the

ligament in his right knee and underwent surgery in France today to

repair the damage. But he will now miss the rest of the season as well

as this summer's European Championships. That robs Northern

Ireland manager Baikal O'Neill of the services of one of his most

experienced players. Brunt featured in eight of Northern Ireland's Euro

qualifying matches and amassed 54 caps during his international

career. The news also concrete initial fortnights for the player

after he was hit by a coin thrown from one of his club's older

supporters cheering West Bromwich's defeat at Reading.

In last night's only Danskebank Premiership fixture,

Carrick Rangers beat Dungannon one-nil to move off the foot

Meanwhile, Derry City's new season kicks off tomorrow with a tasty

Jenny Shields is relishing his first season in charge of Derry City. He

has lost 11 players in the season and brought in half a dozen new

faces. It is a youth will be given a chance to shine. You want to get

started and get under competitors stuff and that is what we have been

preparing for these last 3-4 months. The first game and as it transpires,

it is a local derby, which adds more to it. There's going to be quite a

game, I'm sure. After a spell in Australia, former top scorer Rory

Patterson is back and says there is a good blend of youth and experience

and the opener against Finn Harps will be uncompromising. It will be

an absolute battle. They are back in the league and a big crowd is

expected and it is going to be a lot of blood and thunder. Former city

striker is now back at the club where he made his name as a young

striker. He says the new -- newly promoted on ago side have won a

priority. It is a big season for us, we are stepping up there and under

no illusions. Derry has different ambitions, whereas with we survive

in the Premier division, it will be a massive achievement for us. Kenny

Shields is making a bold predictions about the season ahead that he will

want to start with a good result and maintain that momentum. And a match

is live on BBC Radio four from 7:30pm tomorrow evening.

Golf and Rory Mcilroy has teed off at the World Golf Championship event

alongside the only two men above him in the rankings,

After 8 holes, Rory is 3 under in his first round.

These are prosperous times for netball in Northern Ireland.

The women's senior team exceeded expectations

in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two years ago and now the next

generation is looking emulate their success.

The take on England in tomorrow's European Under-17

What a debut for Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth Games. They

haven't been making up numbers, they have come and delivered! Exceeding

expectations. The Northern Ireland netball team, seventh finish at the

Glasgow games helped to lay foundations for the next generation

of stars. We have a talented pool here and over the last couple of

years, getting good recognition with our seniors through different

competition has given us the funding and platform to evolve for these

younger players to bring them forward. The under 17 is travelled

to Travolta today for the European Championships this weekend and they

are well prepared. Six sessions on Saturday mornings and the

fundraising as well, everyone has put in so much work. It is a great

group of girls, we came together with a few new faces, but they have

been chosen for a reason and we hope we will do ourselves justice. And if

they do, it is another step in the right direction for Northern Ireland

netball. The Dave McCullagh Memorial Meet

begins at the Bangor Aurora Complex Over thee weekend, just shy of 400

swimmers will compete in 32 individual and six team events

across three days of competition. Several of Ireland's senior swimmers

will be seeking Olympic qualifiying times for Rio, alongside some

international stars. It is great to have Bethany on the

team and she has been with us a couple of years and it is great for

her to go towards London with us. She's a lovely girl to work with.

Finally, Gaelic football, and Gareth O'Neill is

O'Neill was joint manager alongside Tony McEntee previously and helped

the Armagh club to two all-Ireland titles.

Oisin McConville and John McEntee stepped down this week.

Now for the weather, with Cecilia Daly.

It is a bit grim out there this evening. Cecilia is here to tell us

if he will get better. It has ended up pretty wet. More wintry weather

in the forecast tonight I'm afraid. There were hints of spring earlier

in this cheeky chappie looked like he was enjoying the morning

sunshine. He has probably run for cover now, because the clouds piled

in against the low pressure sitting in the Atlantic. We have had rain,

but behind the weather system, the air will get colder. Warning this

will come into effect for so and ice across Northern Ireland. We will see

more snow in places. This is how the north coast looked this day last

year, so it is not unusual to get snow at this time of year. The last

of the rain should be clearing quite soon, dry for a while, but Richards

will fall and lead to a risk of ice were roads have not been treated and

wrote -- rain returns and where it is heavy, it will turn to snow quite

readily. So tomorrow, that rain and snow will gradually move southwards

through the commute to work or school. It will be a dirty mix of

rain, sleet, snow and ice in places. Disruptive snow will be above 200

metres or 600 feet, but there could be a bit just about anywhere for a

time tomorrow morning, probably more likely in Eastern counties, so by

the time many people heading onto roads, County Down for instance,

especially the high ground, could have significant snow. Probably more

a mix of rain and sleet, but there will be patches of snow elsewhere

and it will feel cold. Moves away, the wind picks up from

the North Northeast. With it, brighter skies tomorrow afternoon

and lots of dry weather, but it will feel cold about biting wind and that

continues to be a feature of the weather tomorrow night. Into

Saturday, temperatures will stay just above freezing, one of two

places in liable job close to freezing. There could be some ice

and frost on Saturday morning. The AV wintry showers of the week, dry

and bright weather, very cold. The wind is as of on Sunday, quite a

nice, summer sunshine, more rain later in the day. Overall, cold and

generally unsettled. You can also keep in contact with us

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