23/03/2016 BBC Newsline

A man has been shot outside his home in County Meath this evening.

Gardai say the victim, who was 55, was shot a number of times around

7.45pm at the Old Mill housing

It's understood he was well known to the police and had links

with those involved in a recent criminal gang feud.

A cyclist in his 40s has died following a collision with a lorry

on the Knockmore Road outside Lisburn.

The accident happened this afternoon just before 2.30pm.

of the road remains closed in both directions close to the Ballinderry

There's to be a big shake-up in the rules dealing

An independent panel has made significant changes which it says

will help to improve public confidence in our politicians.

The new regime will affect many aspects of MLAs' work,

including their offices, staffing and travel allowances.

Here's our political correspondent, Chris Page.

Money matters are part and parcel of politics,

but there's one in particular which can be toxic -

This BBC Spotlight programme in 2014 raised questions

about the activities of some parties.

Now the people who set the rules are changing them.

The Independent Financial Review Panel say the changes are radical.

Professionalism, fairness and equity is really at the heart of what we're

doing to ensure that MLAs get the money they deserve to do the job

we all want to see done, but at the same time comply

with a set of rules and controls that limit those moneys to prevent

So Stormont is getting a brand new expenses system.

Previously, MLAs were entitled to claim ?67,000 a year

There are new rules for staffing arrangements.

MLAs will only be able to employ one close relative.

Future vacancies will be fulfilled by public consultation after a

public advertisement. When it comes to constituency

offices, they won't be allowed The rent they can claim

will be capped at ?8,500. There will be restrictions

on signs, for example. Assembly members won't be able

to call their office's MLAs' salaries will go up

by ?1,000 to ?49,000, but the pay of Junior Ministers

and the Speaker will be cut. Any politician knows any negative

story about expenses damages the reputation of

politics in general. The Independent Financial Review

Panel say these new rules will help improve public

confidence in Stormont. The regime will kick in straight

after the Assembly elections Six new schools are to built

with money provided under the Stormont House and

Fresh Start agreements. The funding totals ?43 million

and is earmarked for shared Our Education Correspondent

Robbie Meredith reports. Children at Phoenix Integrated

Primary School in Cookstown were singing for special guests

today who were bringing A physical manifestation

of the Fresh Start agreement This is good for the schools

and for the economy. I think it's a positive indication

things are moving forward. Shared education campuses

at different sites and integrated buildings - it's the first

instalment of ?500 million promised for similar projects

by the UK Government. The Secretary of State says

it's a good investment. Great education is crucial in terms

of economic competitiveness. It's also important in terms

of community cohesion. This is a timely investment

for a number of schools but we're on the cusp of an election so it's

also a good time for politicians We're very pleased to be able

to do it before we go into the pre-election period,

or whatever you want to call it. We're delighted the UK Government

has come forward with this money. If we weren't making this

announcement we'd be criticised This is one of the schools that'll

get money to plan a new building. They want that to lead

to bricks and mortar. The money is a significant issue

for our school. We'll be hoping for a purpose-built

school, a new school That really will be something

to make a song and dance about. The BBC understands that

an associate principal is to be appointed to West Belfast school

De La Salle to work alongside the current principal

and senior management. It comes after parents of some

of the pupils there called for the school's management

to be stood down. This latest development comes a week

after some parents began protesting outside the school gates

about teachers not turning At one stage, around a third

of the staff were off sick. These parents take little comfort

from the news that another principal I want the principal

and the board of governors to go. They have failed the

children and the parents. Stand down and let's

have an investigation. Let's have an investigation

into what's happened. What has brought this school

to the situation it's in? In a statement, the principal

of La Salle said she wanted to reassure parents that the school

remains focussed on the education provision and emotional well-being

of all the students. This evening the parents are due

to meet the Children's Commissioner. The BBC understands a new associate

principal is to be put in place But until something changes,

this group says they will continue 110 jobs are to be created

at an engineering company in Cookstown as part

of a ?6.8 million investment. The First and Deputy First Ministers

made the announcement during a visit The company makes washing

and recycling equipment for a variety of industries and has

customers across the world. The managing director

says its skilled workforce Planning permission has been granted

for a huge solar farm in County Antrim -

the biggest in Northern Ireland. The ?40 million development will go

on 200 acres of land near Lough But developers say delays

in connecting renewable projects to the electricity grid

could threaten its viability. Our Agriculture and Environment

Correspondent Conor Macauley If all goes to plan,

the man who currently farms sheep on this land by the shores

of Lough Neagh could soon Joe McQuillan's application to build

a huge solar farm on his land has been given the nod by

the Environment Minister. This is a 200 acre development

but it is not until you come here that you get a true sense

of the scale of this project. These panels are going to be in both

fields to my left and to my right and all the way back

to that far tree line. It really is going

to be a sea of solar. And despite its scale, it has

all gone through without a whimper, no opposition of any kind,

not a single letter of objection. Looking down, big fields,

open and totally enclosed, no people looking into it

from residential houses. This is a smaller scheme being built

near Belfast International Airport, but the infrastructure

is much the same. The pressure now is to get

the new one built, connected and generating before next March,

when government subsidies The connection is the problem,

that is due to network pressures, something the energy firm behind

the solar farm was discussing I think it will be very tight

for time and I know they are working on it and there is a lot

of goodwill, but there just isn't This is a ?40 million scheme,

but they will have to move fast to get it up and running ahead

of the deadline. Belfast City Hall is tonight lit up

in the colours of the Belgium flag in solidarity with the people killed

and injured in yesterday's bombing At least 31 people died and around

250 were injured following explosions at Brussels airport

and at a Metro station. A book of condolence has also been

opened for the public to sign Over 1000 motorcycle fans packed

into Titanic Belfast tonight for the official launch of this

year's Vauxhall International North The countdown is on to one of our

biggest and certainly fastest sporting events, the North West 200.

Tonight, a host of the top road racers from home and abroad gathered

for a special meet the fans event, including the joint record holder,

Alistair Seeley, and the Event Director, Mervyn Whyte. The big

question is, can you be the all-time record holder? We will find out on

the 14th of May. Corporations are going good, I am physically and

mentally in a good place so I will get two rounds out of the way with

the BMW buys and the callous Aki Crew will be rocking up for the

Supersport event so I am trying to do what I do every year, relax and

enjoy the event and hopefully stand on the top step. What about this

event tonight? Fantastic excitement with the fans? Absolutely brilliant,

a massive number of people tonight, really good to get them here and see

those fans. What an excellent evening and everybody I was talking

to enjoyed tonight and it was a full house. You give something back to

the spectators. We really appreciate that. Big plans for this year?

Really big plans, the entry list is one of the best, you're making a

number of changes after feedback from last year, were changing the

race management, reducing the groups and the numbers on the grid.

Introducing a further big screen at the start, with a scrolling detail

map on it together updates. And again, we ask able to bring their

radio with them and tune into BBC Radio Ulster and enjoy the day. Have

a good time. There will not miss one thing on the BBC. Across radio, the

division and online. This year's North West 200 will be live on BBC

Northern Ireland. Looking ahead to tomorrow's BBC

Newsline and we'll be inside the GPO in Dublin ahead of the

Easter Rising centenary. Also on Sunday itself,

when the biggest commemoration will be taking place,

we'll be live with a special That's here on BBC One at 11.25am

on Sunday morning. Let's get the weather

forecast with Geoff. Rain is in the forecast

and we haven't said that But if it is not raining

with you at the moment, The sky is clouding over tonight

before that front moves in, bringing rain to all parts,

spreading slowly to the East. It means a pretty soggy start

but as the front gradually moves away, behind that we will start

to see a clearance with brighter skies and breaks in the cloud

and actually some brighter or sunny The front is very much setting

the tone for the weather You can see how it is bringing some

strong winds and rain into the south-west,

into Wales and into other parts Gradually it starts to fragment

and behind it some clearer air so we will see some brighter spells

through the afternoon. Those clearing skies on Thursday

night mean that overnight In fact, in some rural areas

we could see temperatures cool enough to see a bit of frost

by Friday morning. So Good Friday gets underway

on quite a chilly note. Actually, it will be the best day

of the Easter break because we will start to see some drier,

brighter conditions through the day and highs of ten or 11 degrees

before the rain moves It is going to be pretty unsettled

by the time we get to the weekend so do make the most of Friday

because "wet and windy" just about sums up the weather

by the time we get through to Our next BBC Newsline is at 6.25am

in the morning during You can also keep updated

with News Online.