:00:00. > :00:16.That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me,
:00:17. > :00:18.Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline: Parents' anger over a big
:00:19. > :00:32.cut in nursery hours for children at special schools: Sadness
:00:33. > :00:40.They need to give these children who need it the most a chance.
:00:41. > :00:47.Sadness in Londonderry at the closure of one of Europe's
:00:48. > :00:50.One home destroyed and six others damaged in a deliberate fire
:00:51. > :00:53.A top Northern Ireland businessman wants the UK to leave
:00:54. > :01:13.Executive of Sunderland football club is forced to
:01:14. > :01:19.milder weather en route for the end of the week.
:01:20. > :01:22.The Education Authority is to review a decision to reduce the number
:01:23. > :01:24.of hours for children in nurseries in special schools.
:01:25. > :01:29.The move is due to come into effect in September.
:01:30. > :01:32.We'll hear from the Education Minister John O'Dowd shortly,
:01:33. > :01:34.but first our education correspondent Robbie Meredith has
:01:35. > :01:46.been finding out what impact the cut is likely to have.
:01:47. > :01:54.It is home times for these nursery pupils at this special school in
:01:55. > :02:00.Dundonald, but they are leaving school long before midday and much
:02:01. > :02:06.earlier than their teacher once. All of our pupils are in nappies and
:02:07. > :02:12.require intimate care. Being able to train men to use the toilet is not
:02:13. > :02:18.feasible in a 2.5 hour programme. That has had to be put on hold. The
:02:19. > :02:23.other programme like feeding programmes but children are not hear
:02:24. > :02:28.for lunch time so we are not able to help with feeding skills. The
:02:29. > :02:35.schools already have to cut hours from 4.5 22.5 hours a day and now
:02:36. > :02:43.all special schools face that in terms of this strategy. Children
:02:44. > :02:47.like ours to attend our nursery group have complex needs. They need
:02:48. > :02:51.intensive support from an early age. They need that to be connected up
:02:52. > :02:57.and they need a longer time at school to help us to do that. Staff
:02:58. > :03:02.year and at other schools are concerned they will not have the
:03:03. > :03:09.time to deliver the specialist help these vulnerable children need. To
:03:10. > :03:13.-- parents are also worried. This period has a three-year-old son who
:03:14. > :03:21.is due to start nursery in September. These children need more
:03:22. > :03:27.help, not less help. They need more help in every aspect, in relation to
:03:28. > :03:32.feeding, everyday activities that we take for granted. These children
:03:33. > :03:37.might have learning difficulties but they can learn, it just takes them a
:03:38. > :03:40.bit longer. A possible breakthrough this afternoon. The Education
:03:41. > :03:45.Minister wants the strategy reviewed. This period and many
:03:46. > :03:49.others hope this means a total rethink. -- this mother.
:03:50. > :03:53.The Education Minister John O'Dowd joins me now from Stormont.
:03:54. > :04:02.You have asked for a review of the decision, why not a reversal? They
:04:03. > :04:06.have to come forward with a decisive position in relation to the future
:04:07. > :04:12.of special needs education in the nursery sector. Their current
:04:13. > :04:16.decision is flawed. The made the decision based on a learning to
:04:17. > :04:24.learn policy which is not based on special needs. We have made the
:04:25. > :04:28.decision without consultation. It is important to consult with schools,
:04:29. > :04:33.parents and pupils about the future of education in the special-needs
:04:34. > :04:42.sector. As Minister, Wendy June -- learn about this decision? I learned
:04:43. > :04:48.about the decision on a BBC programme this morning. Is that not
:04:49. > :04:54.unacceptable that you were not informed by the education authority
:04:55. > :04:58.about something like this? It is not acceptable, I will raise that with
:04:59. > :05:03.them but the most important issue is to make sure we make correct
:05:04. > :05:07.decisions around special-needs education. I have said this decision
:05:08. > :05:15.is flawed, they need to go back to the drawing room. This is not the
:05:16. > :05:17.first cut that the education authority has implemented, do you
:05:18. > :05:23.have confidence in their decision-making? Like all sectors of
:05:24. > :05:32.political service, they are facing constraints. This decision has
:05:33. > :05:36.direct financial consequences. They seem to have misinterpreted the
:05:37. > :05:42.learning to learn policy... But they are operating under a budget you
:05:43. > :05:46.have given them so who is responsible for the cuts, education
:05:47. > :05:50.authority or you as Minister? I am operating out of a budget which is
:05:51. > :05:55.given to me by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer so if
:05:56. > :06:00.you want to follow that, we have to back to the Conservative Party. What
:06:01. > :06:06.I am hear to talk about proper services and facilities are in place
:06:07. > :06:10.for our own society. We are sending the authority back to the drawing
:06:11. > :06:15.board to restart this process so is we can come to the proper decision
:06:16. > :06:20.to fit the needs of those children. You say you have asked for a review,
:06:21. > :06:28.had he set a time frame for this review? -- have you. I understand
:06:29. > :06:33.the board will be meeting this month and there has to be eight weeks
:06:34. > :06:37.consultation regarding any proposal. I would like to say the education
:06:38. > :06:42.authority carry out an internal review based on the correct policies
:06:43. > :06:50.and then go out and consult with the sector to find out what the teachers
:06:51. > :06:55.and the parents and pupils think. Then come forward with a proposal
:06:56. > :07:00.based on that information. It will shock people to know there has not
:07:01. > :07:05.been that consultation already, you say it was a flawed decision so how
:07:06. > :07:08.Kimi have confidence in that review and that the ultimate decision will
:07:09. > :07:14.be the right one for vulnerable children? The reason I have sent
:07:15. > :07:18.this back to the authority is because of the reasons I have
:07:19. > :07:21.outlined and I can understand why people would be shocked. I am
:07:22. > :07:26.disappointed that we have reached this point. The education authority
:07:27. > :07:35.has to learn from this and make sure the consult with the relevant
:07:36. > :07:39.people. Can you ensure that this will be settled before you leave
:07:40. > :07:44.office? I do not think it will be settled before I leave office.
:07:45. > :07:48.Whoever the minister is next time, he will want to make sure the proper
:07:49. > :07:52.decision is made and protect vulnerable people in society and
:07:53. > :07:58.that the education authorities has followed the proper procedures.
:07:59. > :08:01.Regardless who is imposed, I believe the education authority has now
:08:02. > :08:03.received a clear message that this has to be carried out properly. We
:08:04. > :08:09.will await with interest. Thank you. The Arlene Arkinson inquest has been
:08:10. > :08:12.told that the man suspected of killing the Tyrone schoolgirl
:08:13. > :08:14.once boasted to workmates Statements given to the police
:08:15. > :08:17.about Robert Howard He told co-workers that he knew how
:08:18. > :08:21.to dispose of a body The fifteen year old's body has
:08:22. > :08:25.never been found. She disappeared in 1994
:08:26. > :08:34.after a night out in County Donegal. The Public Prosecution Service says
:08:35. > :08:36.it has decided not to prosecute a soldier who killed an unarmed
:08:37. > :08:39.teenage boy in Londonderry in 1972. 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty was shot
:08:40. > :08:42.twice in the head during an army operation to clear no-go
:08:43. > :08:45.areas in the city. An inquest in 2011 found
:08:46. > :08:47.that the teenager posed no risk and dismissed claims that soldiers
:08:48. > :08:52.had shouted warnings before firing. After a review of the evidence
:08:53. > :08:58.the public prosecution service said today there is no reasonable
:08:59. > :09:01.prospect of proving that the soldier did not act in self -defence
:09:02. > :09:18.believing that he was The soldier genuinely believed he
:09:19. > :09:23.was going to come under attack and they have to respect that decision.
:09:24. > :09:28.It is important to recognise that the victims were completely innocent
:09:29. > :09:33.and did not pose a threat but we have to assess the circumstances in
:09:34. > :09:34.the light of what the soldier did believe.
:09:35. > :09:37.One of Europe's oldest department stores, Austins in Londonderry,
:09:38. > :09:39.has closed with the loss of more than fifty jobs.
:09:40. > :09:41.The store did not open for business this morning.
:09:42. > :09:44.Staff were called to a meeting and told that the company had been
:09:45. > :09:49.Here's our north-west reporter, Keiron Tourish.
:09:50. > :09:51.It is one of Europe's oldest department stores but today
:09:52. > :09:56.It is an institution in the city which was first opened
:09:57. > :10:02.But the business has now gone into liquidation with the loss of 53
:10:03. > :10:03.jobs across a range of home furnishings,
:10:04. > :10:18.It is understood that staff received a letter saying the company had gone
:10:19. > :10:24.into liquidation. The liquidator has been meeting members of staff to
:10:25. > :10:28.discuss their next move. In some cases it was a big shock. Some of
:10:29. > :10:38.the others had been aware of difficulties. It did not, is that
:10:39. > :10:43.much of a shock but for all of them, Austins was very much like a family.
:10:44. > :10:49.They are treating it in many ways like a bereavement. Austins had been
:10:50. > :10:54.under pressure for a number of years. Traditional department stores
:10:55. > :11:00.right across the UK in the retail sector have been struggling. The
:11:01. > :11:05.sector has had to remodel itself to meet the needs of the modern retail
:11:06. > :11:05.offering so it has not come as a surprise.
:11:06. > :11:22.That is a shame, it is a good shop. It is a local shop. Austins has been
:11:23. > :11:28.your lifetime, everybody knows it. It will be devastating. People
:11:29. > :11:32.working in the will have young families and mortgages. It is just
:11:33. > :11:39.to ensure they receive all the support they need
:11:40. > :11:49.A woman and her daughter have been rescued from a house fire in south
:11:50. > :11:52.A bungalow in the Belvoir estate was destroyed and six
:11:53. > :11:56.The Police are treating the fire as arson.
:11:57. > :12:00.That's what the residents of Kirkistown Walk
:12:01. > :12:03.woke up to after wheelie bins were set alight beside an oil tank
:12:04. > :12:15.Alwyn Crawford lost 24 pigeons in the blaze.
:12:16. > :12:30.I have a bad back and a bad heart. It is just relaxing for you to the
:12:31. > :12:40.the alarm just before five years. round and try and
:12:41. > :12:43.But it was too late to save the family's much loved
:12:44. > :12:56.It is a tragedy what has happened. They were part of the family.
:12:57. > :12:59.Another elderly resident had just replaced his garden after a wheelie
:13:00. > :13:01.bin fire at his property destroyed at last October.
:13:02. > :13:02.This morning he lost his new mobility
:13:03. > :13:11.I have lost everything but I still think we are the lucky ones because
:13:12. > :13:14.those bungalows are completely unlovable now.
:13:15. > :13:26.It is sick to target pensioners. We would like to find out who is
:13:27. > :13:26.responsible. But the damage done means these
:13:27. > :13:30.residents cannot return Despite what they have been through,
:13:31. > :13:49.they agree it could have Coming up, the 15-year-old who is in
:13:50. > :13:55.touch for a place at the real Olympics.
:13:56. > :13:57.The founder of one of Northern Ireland's most successful
:13:58. > :14:00.manufacturing companies hopes the UK votes to leave the European Union
:14:01. > :14:03.William Wright is the first prominent local businessman
:14:04. > :14:05.to endorse what's being called a Brexit.
:14:06. > :14:09.Our business correspondent Julian O'Neill has more details.
:14:10. > :14:11.William Wright makes fewer headlines than his buses.
:14:12. > :14:16.Only seldomly does he step into the limelight, like during this
:14:17. > :14:23.But today he was front-page news, becoming the first major business
:14:24. > :14:25.figure to openly endorse a UK withdrawal from the EU,
:14:26. > :14:44.They are major employer. For this organisation and the chief Executive
:14:45. > :14:50.to come out and Neil his colours to the mast and say this to his
:14:51. > :14:51.employers -- employees, it is a very powerful statement.
:14:52. > :14:55.but Wrightbus is a global business, selling much more
:14:56. > :14:57.into markets like the Far East than Europe.
:14:58. > :15:00.Speaking to the Ballymena Guardian, Mr Wright said, the bureaucracy
:15:01. > :15:01.of Europe is not conducive to the UK's
:15:02. > :15:21.Others are less certain a so-called Brexit would be a positive step.
:15:22. > :15:23.One business leader today quoted research suggesting an out vote
:15:24. > :15:30.could take the edge of corporation tax production.
:15:31. > :15:39.We need economic stability in which to grow. We need market access and
:15:40. > :15:44.we need to take advantage of corporation tax which is a
:15:45. > :15:48.fundamental opportunity for Northern Ireland, the greatest opportunity in
:15:49. > :15:53.Northern Ireland has had for a long time. Other major employers have
:15:54. > :16:01.recently been speaking in favour of the UK maintaining its membership of
:16:02. > :16:04.the year. But we've can in northern Ireland has lacked a high-profile
:16:05. > :16:09.supporter in big business on at least one prepared to say so
:16:10. > :16:12.publicly, until now. -- at the leave camp.
:16:13. > :16:14.The political parties are considering what tactics
:16:15. > :16:17.will deliver them the best result in the Assembly election.
:16:18. > :16:20.In the general election last year, several news stories came out
:16:21. > :16:24.But the DUP leader has said the party aren't going
:16:25. > :16:27.Our political correspondent Chris Page has been asking
:16:28. > :16:38.what place hustings have in modern politics.
:16:39. > :16:43.Election campaigns have changed since the 1970s but a lot of
:16:44. > :16:48.politicians would still say you cannot beat shaking as many hands as
:16:49. > :16:56.possible. A smartphone generation has brought a different edge to
:16:57. > :16:58.campaigning, hustings events. Jim Wells made controversial comments
:16:59. > :17:03.about same-sex marriages last year but denies he did anything wrong and
:17:04. > :17:11.says he will not take part in hustings now. His priority will be
:17:12. > :17:16.canvassing, not hustings. Hustings are very specialised events. We want
:17:17. > :17:23.to talk to people on a one-to-one basis and that is my plan. Are you
:17:24. > :17:28.ruling out hustings events? That is not where our focus is going to be.
:17:29. > :17:34.It will be on engaging with individuals, on the street or at
:17:35. > :17:39.their doorstep. Hustings produced several news stories in the run-up
:17:40. > :17:41.to the general election. One candidate made remarks about
:17:42. > :17:46.homosexuals which many in the audience found offensive. Do
:17:47. > :17:57.hustings generate more heat than light? You can get audiences which
:17:58. > :18:06.can be a bit lopsided. If you are coming at it from one perspective,
:18:07. > :18:10.it is a major turn-off for politicians when you could be
:18:11. > :18:18.knocking on doors to get undecided voters. Other politicians relish
:18:19. > :18:23.hustings. People ask genuine questions and they want the answers.
:18:24. > :18:26.Various groupings from my constituency in particular I
:18:27. > :18:31.attended. There are questions which need answers and you do your best to
:18:32. > :18:36.answer. Sometimes things could get heated but that is what politics is
:18:37. > :18:42.about, if you cannot stand the heat get out of the kitchen. Politicians
:18:43. > :18:47.may differ in how they deploy resources at the have the same aim,
:18:48. > :18:54.to get as many MLAs returned hear in me. -- hear in the month of May.
:18:55. > :18:57.Margaret Byrne, Sunderland football club's chief Executive,
:18:58. > :19:00.resigned today in the wake of the sex scandal involving one
:19:01. > :19:02.of the premiership side's players, Adam Johnston.
:19:03. > :19:04.The County Armagh born woman, who last year was awarded
:19:05. > :19:06.the honorary degree by the Ulster University
:19:07. > :19:08.in recognition of her services to sport and business,
:19:09. > :19:11.issued a statement admitting she'd made a 'serious mistake' in allowing
:19:12. > :19:14.Adam Johnston to continue to represent the club.
:19:15. > :19:18.Earlier I spoke to Olly Foster, BBC Sports correspondent
:19:19. > :19:20.and asked him first if the announcement was a surprise.
:19:21. > :19:34.She admitted in her statement that last year she was privy to
:19:35. > :19:38.information that Adam Johnston did kiss the victim and communicate with
:19:39. > :19:43.her although he said to her he was going to defend himself against
:19:44. > :19:44.those charges and plead not guilty. She said the legal process would
:19:45. > :19:48.take its She said the legal process would
:19:49. > :19:54.was the right thing to do, to let him play on and he was innocent
:19:55. > :19:57.until proven guilty. Today she has accepted that was a serious mistake,
:19:58. > :20:01.realising the damage that dead to accepted that was a serious mistake,
:20:02. > :20:06.the reputation of this club and to the victim. She was distraught to
:20:07. > :20:10.see Adam Johnston, with charges the victim. She was distraught to
:20:11. > :20:21.against him, play against -- play in his club. Was Margaret Byrne popular
:20:22. > :20:27.in Sunderland? She was young women, in her 30s, she was credited with a
:20:28. > :20:32.lot of what the club has done right of few years, landing good deals for
:20:33. > :20:34.sponsorship. She has had some difficult times with how she dealt
:20:35. > :20:41.with Paolo Di Canio when accused of making fascist
:20:42. > :20:46.statements, that was a tricky period for her but she came through that
:20:47. > :20:50.and was felt to be a good thing for this club. But with these serious
:20:51. > :20:52.errors in dealing with the most serious incident
:20:53. > :20:55.errors in dealing with the most deal with, the Adam Johnston case,
:20:56. > :21:02.errors in dealing with the most she has paid the price and also
:21:03. > :21:04.promised -- apologise seriously for any distress she may have caused to
:21:05. > :21:05.the victim. David Jeffrey is the new manager
:21:06. > :21:06.of Ballymena United. He'll take his first training
:21:07. > :21:10.session at the showgrounds tonight - and there for BBC Newsline
:21:11. > :21:19.is Thomas Niblock. That first session starts in 20
:21:20. > :21:21.minutes. Welcome to Ballymena United, the brand-new manager,
:21:22. > :21:26.congratulations on the appointment. Why come back? That is
:21:27. > :21:30.congratulations on the appointment. question because I had not planned
:21:31. > :21:40.to. I was not looking for an appointment. Why would I come back?
:21:41. > :21:45.I was contacted by Ballymena United, John Taggert, their chairman and we
:21:46. > :21:49.had several discussions and then I thought, why not? It was a fresh
:21:50. > :21:56.challenge, a different type of challenge. Then I had to be very
:21:57. > :22:03.clear with myself, was I in for that challenge? Would I be motivated? I
:22:04. > :22:10.concluded that I would be doing it. Over 30 trophies in your career, you
:22:11. > :22:16.are taking over a club which is just five points above relegation, is
:22:17. > :22:21.that a different pressure? It is a different type of pressure and
:22:22. > :22:26.challenge. A lot of time, the greatest pressure came from myself
:22:27. > :22:32.and the situations you find yourself in. I am not used to this situation
:22:33. > :22:37.but it is all about winning games of football, players giving their best,
:22:38. > :22:43.people striving to be the best they can be so that is not a lot of
:22:44. > :22:47.change. At some stage as manager, you will have to play midfield where
:22:48. > :22:55.you wear as a manager -- as a player? When I said I was stopping
:22:56. > :23:02.down -- stepping down, I was in stepping down from football. I
:23:03. > :23:05.played as a boy. But now I am the manager of Ballymena United and that
:23:06. > :23:14.is who I represent and the will be getting my best. Your first game you
:23:15. > :23:20.will be playing the leading team, the Crusaders. Yes, the most
:23:21. > :23:24.impressive team in the country without a shadow of a doubt. I have
:23:25. > :23:29.watched them several times this year. They are extremely good. They
:23:30. > :23:33.have an outstanding manager so it will be tough but a nice challenge
:23:34. > :23:37.to begin with. We wish you all the best. Thank you. Back to you in the
:23:38. > :23:42.studio. A teenage swimming star
:23:43. > :23:44.Conor Ferguson will be sitting his GCSEs at
:23:45. > :23:47.Belfast Royal Academy in a few months' time but while his friends
:23:48. > :23:50.will then be enjoying their summer holidays, Conor only has one
:23:51. > :24:00.destination in mind - The pain at the end of competition
:24:01. > :24:06.which saw the young swimmer break eight Irish records at miss out on
:24:07. > :24:10.the Olympic qualifying time by just three tenths of a second. Not all is
:24:11. > :24:14.lost, he will get and other opportunity to further his dream and
:24:15. > :24:21.the Irish Championships at the end of April. Maybe if I had gone a bit
:24:22. > :24:23.quicker, I would have got it but it is done, you cannot dwell in the
:24:24. > :24:30.past. I know what I have to do now. is done, you cannot dwell in the
:24:31. > :24:35.I will be training towards it. I did not expect to go that fast so it is
:24:36. > :24:39.a good indication, it shows the process is working. I will be
:24:40. > :24:43.interested to the why can do in a couple of months at the nationals. I
:24:44. > :24:48.have to work really hard for the next couple of weeks for the
:24:49. > :24:53.nationals and C what happens. Ferguson has a radio show and he has
:24:54. > :25:00.the right temperament for the big occasion, winning medals. Tokyo 2020
:25:01. > :25:06.was the target but now he appears to be format years ahead of schedule.
:25:07. > :25:14.It has been a big year. I didn't expect it to go that fast. 2016 is
:25:15. > :25:19.now a more realistic goal. I am going to train so hard in the next
:25:20. > :25:23.couple of weeks. I have to trust the process and if that happens it
:25:24. > :25:28.happens, if it doesn't, it is not meant to be. If he makes it, he will
:25:29. > :25:30.become one of Northern Ireland's youngest ever Olympians.
:25:31. > :25:35.The weather forecast is next with Cecilia Daly.
:25:36. > :25:51.We have rain coming in. Still drive for an hour so. A few heavy bursts,
:25:52. > :25:56.perhaps even sleet or snow on higher ground. That is towards the end of
:25:57. > :26:01.the night because cold air will be hiding in behind that from the
:26:02. > :26:05.north-west. By the time most people are up tomorrow, most of the rain
:26:06. > :26:10.will be gone and a chilly winds will be mounting from the north-west. It
:26:11. > :26:16.will help move that Greenaway quickly. A little dampness over
:26:17. > :26:23.County Down first thing. -- that rain away. Temperatures could be low
:26:24. > :26:28.enough in 12 sports, especially in the West and it will be chilly in
:26:29. > :26:31.the breeze. Not too much weight weather tomorrow. Keep out of the
:26:32. > :26:37.wind and you should enjoy some marts warned. Temperatures up to 9
:26:38. > :26:44.degrees. A lot of dry weather and perhaps even dry enough to put the
:26:45. > :26:49.washing out on the line. It will stay dry tomorrow night. Breaks in
:26:50. > :26:53.the cloud. Temperatures will fall a couple of degrees but more cloud
:26:54. > :26:57.comes in towards morning. That is the start of the milder weather
:26:58. > :27:02.coming our way from Thursday onwards. Temperatures will gradually
:27:03. > :27:07.rise towards the end of the week. Yellow is on the map. We will reach
:27:08. > :27:15.the lower or mid teens by the end of the week. Wet tonight, bright
:27:16. > :27:19.tomorrow with a chilly wind and eventually milder air arrives on
:27:20. > :27:24.Thursday and worse. Some sunshine in the east but it will be cloudy with
:27:25. > :27:30.dampness moving and later in the day, temperatures up to nine or 10
:27:31. > :27:35.degrees. No frost on Thursday night. Quite a rainy day on Friday with
:27:36. > :27:40.temperatures of 11 degrees. Mostly drive for the weekend with
:27:41. > :27:41.temperatures at least reaching 12 or 13 degrees. Spring is he!
:27:42. > :27:43.Our late summary is at half past ten.
:27:44. > :27:45.You can also keep in contact with us via Facebook and Twitter.