08/03/2016 BBC Newsline

The Education Minister has described as flawed a decision

by the Education Authority to reduce the number of hours children can

John O'Dowd said proper consultation hadn't taken place.

The move was due to come into effect in September.

Our education correspondent Robbie Meredith reports.

It's hometime for these nursery pupils at Tor Bank special

But they are leaving school long before midday and much

The decision to cut their hours led to a statement from the Education

Minister. They have got to come up with a decision on special needs,

the current decision is flawed. They based it on the learning to learn

policy which does not relate to special education needs. And they

made a decision without consultation. It is key in areas

like this if you consult with schools, parents and pupils about

the future of early years education. He ordered them to revisit their

plans, which teachers told me Ltd the amount of help that they could

give to pupils. All 16 nursery pupils are in nappies and they

require intimate care and perhaps training them to use the toilet is

not feasible. That has had to be put on hold. The other big target and

quality of life skill we would teach would be the feeding programmes, our

children are not here for lunchtime so we cannot work on those

self-feeding skills. The school already has had to cut the hours

from 4.5 hours to 2.5 hours per day and the education authority want all

of Northern Ireland special schools to do the same. In terms of a

strategy it is very poor. Children like ours that attend nursery group

have complex needs, they need intensive support from an early age.

They need to that to be connected up and they need longer school to let

us do that. Parents like Francine Huston is due to start at a special

school in September in nursery are also worried. These children need

more help, not less, and help in every aspect in relation to feeding,

everyday activities that we take for granted with average kids. These

children might have learning difficulties but they can learn. It

just takes them that bit longer. Now the authority have been told to

review their plans, these parents like many others will hope that that

means a total rethink. But a final decision is not expected until after

the election, under a new Education Minister.

The man suspected of killing the Tyrone schoolgirl

Arlene Arkinson once joked to workmates about getting away

with murder, according to statements given to the police.

The evidence about Robert Howard has been read out at the inquest

Arlene hasn't been seen since August 1994 after a night out in Donegal.

Arlene Arkinson, schoolgirl, missing for over 21 years. Robert Howard,

child killer, serial rapist, tried and acquitted for the murder of

Arlene Arkinson in 2005, he was imprisoned for other crimes and died

there last year. For some weeks in 1993 he had worked as a labourer

into Rome for a local man, Mervyn Philly. In 2002 the late Finlay

contact with the police to explain how Howard had once joked and

busted. He had said if he ever committed a murder he would not be

caught because he knew how to get rid of the body. Mr Finlay said he

and his employees had laughed at the time but he remembered the incident

some years later when Howard was charged with the murder of Arlene.

Statements from others described how Howard had shown them chemicals from

a disused store beacon -- beside a chemist shop and had explained how

they could dissolve bones. There was evidence from two former prisoners

who have met Howard in the hospital wing of Crumlin Road Jane in 1993.

-- jail. They said he busted that he pretended to be claustrophobic to

fool prison authorities and offered advice on how to trick psychiatrist.

The inquest continues. The police have been given more time

to question three men arrested in connection with the attempted

murder of a prison officer The 52-year-old man needed surgery

after a bomb exploded The dissident republican

organisation that describes itself The Public Prosecution Service says

it's decided not to prosecute a soldier who killed an unarmed

teenage boy in Londonderry in 1972. It says there is no reasonable

prospect of proving that the soldier did not act in self defence,

believing that he was under imminent attack.

15-year-old Daniel Hegarty was shot twice in the head during an army

operation to clear no-go areas in the city.

An inquest in 2011 found that the teenager posed no risk

and dismissed claims that soldiers had shouted warnings before firing.

The police say they're treating the death of a man in Portadown

The body of 31-year-old Eimantas Gerdvilas,

a Lithuanian who had been living in the town,

was found in a stream in the Mourneview Street area.

They were released tonight on bail pending further enquiries.

More than 50 people are losing their jobs

with the closure of Austins in Londonderry.

The store has been in the city since the 1800.

Our north-west reporter, Keiron Tourish reports.

It is one of Europe's oldest department stores but today

the shutters were down on Austins of the Diamond.

It is an institution in the city which was first opened

But the business has now gone into liquidation with the loss of 53

jobs across a range of home furnishings, ladies

It is understood that staff received a letter saying the company had

The liquidator has been meeting members of staff to

Some of the others had been aware of difficulties.

It did not come as that much of a shock but for all of them,

They are treating it in many ways like a bereavement.

Austins had been under pressure for a number of years.

Traditional department stores right across the UK in the retail sector

The sector has had to remodel itself to meet the needs of the modern

retail offering so it has not come as a surprise.

Shoppers were stunned by news that the iconic landmark

Austins has been here a lifetime, everybody knows it.

People working in there will have young families and mortgages.

The liquidator says more meetings with staff are planned to ensure

they receive all the support they need at a difficult time.

The police are treating an overnight fire in south Belfast as arson.

A bungalow in the Belvoir estate was destroyed and six other homes

damaged after bins were set alight beside an oil tank.

An elderly woman and her daughter had to be rescued.

I am a member of pitching club and I raced them. I have a bad back and a

bad heart. -- pigeon. They're just so relaxing to watch. I will

probably rally round and try to get back into them again.

The founder of one of Northern Ireland's most successful

manufacturing companies hopes the UK votes to leave the European Union

William Wright is the first prominent local businessman

to endorse what's being called a Brexit.

Our business correspondent Julian O'Neill has more details.

William Wright makes fewer headlines than his buses.

Only seldomly does he step into the limelight, like during this

But today he was front-page news, becoming the first major business

figure to openly endorse a UK withdrawal from the EU,

For this organisation's founder to come out

and nail his colours to the mast and say this to his

employees, it is a very powerful statement.

It may be best known for its London Routemaster,

but Wrightbus is a global business, selling much more into markets

Speaking to the Ballymena Guardian, Mr Wright said, the bureaucracy

of Europe is not conducive to the UK's business interests.

If the UK can regain control of its own affairs we can strike our own

trade agreements with other countries.

Others are less certain a so-called Brexit would be a positive step.

One business leader today quoted research suggesting an out vote

could take the edge off corporation tax production.

We need economic stability in which to grow.

We need market access and we need to take advantage of corporation tax

which is a fundamental opportunity for Northern Ireland,

the greatest opportunity in Northern Ireland has had

Other major employers have recently been speaking in favour of the UK

maintaining its membership of the EU.

What the Leave camp in Northern Ireland has lacked

is a high-profile supporter in big business, or at least one prepared

Protesters opposed to an exploratory oil well near a County Antrim

reservoir have been ordered to clear access to the site or risk

They were issued with a solicitor's letter telling them to leave

the site at Woodburn Forest near Carrickfergus.

Northern Ireland Water says the project does not threaten

the water supply but campaigners claim chemicals used in the drill

could pose a risk to drinking water for thousands of homes.

For water catchment we are concerned that we will be here and be present

and this campaign will continue until we stop this.

Cecilia Daly has the latest weather forecast.

Good evening. It is wet out there tonight, there will be some bursts

of heavy rain around and the rain is on for a good part of the night.

Perhaps some sleet and snow mixed in over higher ground. By morning we

have drier weather across the North and west. The wind will pick up from

the north-west. The wind is a notable feature tomorrow, making it

quite cold. But a good deal of sunshine around. The last of that

moving away quickly. The risk of ice in places for a short time tomorrow

otherwise plenty of bright skies to come. Also brightening up over

Scotland, with some showers in the MAC and some lovely sunshine to come

for the Republic of Ireland. Strong wind down through the Irish Sea

affecting Wales and south-west England and some heavy rain over the

Midlands and Southern counties of England and also snow falling for a

time across the Pennines. Not too bad for Northern Ireland tomorrow.

Eight or 9 degrees in the sunshine, but feeling chilly in the wind.

There will at least be some sunshine around. Dry tomorrow night, quite

chilly but there's downwards, expecting milder air from the South

West and with that temperatures reached perhaps the mid-teens by the

end of the weekend. Over the next few days we have some wet weather

tonight, some sunshine tomorrow but chilly. Turning milder from Thursday

onwards but also cloud on Thursday in the West with some spots of rain,

sunshine and times across the East. On Friday some wet weather for a

time, double-figure temperatures this weekend.