:00:12. > :00:15.You're watching a specially extended BBC Newsline,
:00:16. > :00:27.An election is called as the Stormont crisis heats up.
:00:28. > :00:33.No one should underestimate the challenge faced to the political
:00:34. > :00:37.institutions here in Northern Ireland. And what is at stake.
:00:38. > :00:40.I'm live at Stormont with reaction and analysis on how
:00:41. > :00:44.Our political editor Mark Devenport will give his take on the collapse
:00:45. > :00:51.And we'll hear live from the parties as the blame game continues.
:00:52. > :00:55.They will take everybody for them as encouragement that they can bring
:00:56. > :00:59.down the Northern Ireland executive whenever they don't get their own
:01:00. > :01:07.way, whatever the cost to Northern Ireland. We have called in the Times
:01:08. > :01:08.the behaviour of the DUP and we look forward to giving the public their
:01:09. > :01:10.say on these matters. The political crisis means no
:01:11. > :01:12.budget has been agreed. We'll be examining the impact that
:01:13. > :01:15.could have on the purse strings. Also on the programme a former pupil
:01:16. > :01:18.is charged with the manslaughter of this 13-year-old in a school
:01:19. > :01:22.playground two years ago. And it is milder but not don't be
:01:23. > :01:31.counting on a lot of sunshine. The 2nd of March, the date
:01:32. > :01:36.of an Assembly election. Exactly a week after
:01:37. > :01:40.Martin McGuinness resigned as the Deputy First Minister,
:01:41. > :01:45.Sinn Fein failed to put forward a replacement by today's deadline
:01:46. > :01:49.and so it was left to the Secretary of State to take the next step
:01:50. > :01:53.and he called an election. He called on the parties to work
:01:54. > :01:57.towards re-establishing a Government But it's clear that many problems
:01:58. > :02:03.remain to be resolved Let's get the latest
:02:04. > :02:11.from the Assembly. BBC Newsline's Tara
:02:12. > :02:15.Mills is at Stormont. It's one week on from
:02:16. > :02:18.the drama of last week And within the last hour we've had
:02:19. > :02:22.that announcement from the Secretary Our political editor
:02:23. > :02:36.Mark Devenport is here. What else did he have to say? He
:02:37. > :02:39.really was left with little choice but to call an election, that is
:02:40. > :02:43.what the law states he must do. What he basically said is that he
:02:44. > :02:47.acknowledged this could be a divisive election campaign that he
:02:48. > :02:50.was reminding the parties of their responsibilities, hoping that
:02:51. > :02:53.somehow they can moderate some of the brittle exchanges which have
:02:54. > :02:56.been predicted with a mind to piecing things together on the other
:02:57. > :03:02.side of the election. It here what he had to say. No one should
:03:03. > :03:06.underestimate the challenge faced to the political institutions here in
:03:07. > :03:12.Northern Ireland and what is at stake. While it is inevitable that
:03:13. > :03:19.debate during an election period will be intense, I would strongly
:03:20. > :03:26.encourage the political parties to conduct this election with a view to
:03:27. > :03:30.the future of Northern Ireland and re-establishing a partnership
:03:31. > :03:36.government at the earliest opportunity after that poll. This is
:03:37. > :03:40.essential to the operation of devolved government and this means
:03:41. > :03:46.that all must remain open to dialogue. Despite all of this, there
:03:47. > :03:51.is still some action in the assembly chamber? James Brokenshire has given
:03:52. > :03:54.the assembly a bit longer. We thought he might bring the shutters
:03:55. > :03:58.down this week but they are going to work on Toby end of next week and
:03:59. > :04:04.that it had an effect on things here today. We thought they would make at
:04:05. > :04:07.breakneck decision on Simon Hamilton 's plan but in the last little
:04:08. > :04:11.while, they have adjourned that and said they will come back to that
:04:12. > :04:15.next week although not because there were some explosive allegations made
:04:16. > :04:18.by the former minister Jonathan Bell who once again highlighted what he
:04:19. > :04:22.claims is the role of DUP advisers in relation to this scheme. Now they
:04:23. > :04:26.are getting onto the equally fractious manner of debating a
:04:27. > :04:30.no-confidence motion brought by Sinn Fein in the speaker, Robin Newton,
:04:31. > :04:35.over his handling of last months because assembly session here. What
:04:36. > :04:39.about dates, but do-gooders need to be an mind? If you want to take part
:04:40. > :04:44.in this snap election, if you are not put off by this negativity, you
:04:45. > :04:48.should remember February 14, Valentine's Day but in relation to
:04:49. > :04:52.our not particularly lovey-dovey election, it is also the deadline
:04:53. > :04:56.for voters to register. There is an earlier deadline if you want a
:04:57. > :05:02.postal or proxy vote of February ten but the all-important date is March
:05:03. > :05:05.two is voting day and after that, we have a three-week period and that is
:05:06. > :05:10.when the government will have their work cut out to try and put Humpty
:05:11. > :05:16.Dumpty back together again and tried to restore devolution here.
:05:17. > :05:20.After the surprises of last week today we had a better idea of where
:05:21. > :05:22.this was going with Sinn Fein not re-nominating a candidate
:05:23. > :05:26.So how did the Fresh Start between Sinn Fein and the DUP
:05:27. > :05:30.Our political correspondent Enda McClafferty charts
:05:31. > :05:36.We have had political break-ups at Stormont before
:05:37. > :05:42.Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness's relationship has been
:05:43. > :05:46.in meltdown for months and today their power-sharing pact was reduced
:05:47. > :05:52.They even struggled to face each other across the chamber floor.
:05:53. > :05:55.This is the moment their separation was rubber-stamped.
:05:56. > :06:02.One was prepared to stay and the other wanted out.
:06:03. > :06:11.I am nominating Arlene Foster to be the First Minister. It has her
:06:12. > :06:16.rightful position. I am not alone because the DUP says that, but
:06:17. > :06:24.because 200,000 people in the country see it. We, as a DUP, we
:06:25. > :06:30.will decide who the leader of our party is. Not someone else sitting
:06:31. > :06:34.in this chamber. Today it Sinn Fein will not be nominated for the
:06:35. > :06:38.position of Deputy First Minister. Sinn Fein has honoured all
:06:39. > :06:41.agreements, we have striven to make these institutions work. Martin
:06:42. > :06:43.McGuinness has acted at all times with integrity, with dignity and
:06:44. > :06:46.with respect. Moments later Martin McGuinness left
:06:47. > :06:48.the chamber, leaving many to wonder if he had played his
:06:49. > :06:50.last political hand. While Arlene Foster faced up
:06:51. > :06:53.to her next challenge, blaming Sinn Fein for sending voters
:06:54. > :07:04.back to the polls. They have forced an election that
:07:05. > :07:10.risks Northern Ireland 's future and it stability and since nobody apart
:07:11. > :07:15.from themselves. They will take every vote for them as an
:07:16. > :07:19.encouragement that they can bring down the Northern Ireland executive
:07:20. > :07:23.whenever they don't get their own way up the cost to Northern Ireland,
:07:24. > :07:30.Big Yin and again and again and again. Today we have called time on
:07:31. > :07:33.the arrogance of the DUP and their behaviour in these institutions. We
:07:34. > :07:38.have done so because we can no longer accept how these institutions
:07:39. > :07:43.will be treated with contempt and continue today to be treated with
:07:44. > :07:47.contempt by the DUP which in turn treats the public with contempt. For
:07:48. > :07:51.our part, Sinn Fein and barking McGuinness have stretched ourselves
:07:52. > :07:54.to the limits to try and keep these institutions working. They have been
:07:55. > :07:59.let down by the did behaviour of the big DUP, in the Jewish and of Tory
:08:00. > :08:00.policies and inaction of the Irish front.
:08:01. > :08:04.In fact Martin McGuinness phoned the Prime Minister Theresa May this
:08:05. > :08:07.morning to let her know how much he felt let down by the government.
:08:08. > :08:10.Though the clock is now ticking, the speaker Robin Newton
:08:11. > :08:12.will still face a vote of no confidence in the
:08:13. > :08:15.He will survive as his party, the DUP, is
:08:16. > :08:22.planning to use a petition of concern to keep him in office.
:08:23. > :08:31.The class of 20 02 new all about stop start politics but this is
:08:32. > :08:34.going to be a new experience for those MLAs bathing Stormont this
:08:35. > :08:39.week not knowing when or if they might return. As they know,
:08:40. > :08:43.collapsing the institutions is the easy part, bringing them back and
:08:44. > :08:46.rebuilding trust is the real challenge and that is the test
:08:47. > :08:55.awaiting our politicians on the other side of the election. Let's
:08:56. > :09:03.hear it now from the DUP and Sinn Fein. What can you tell us? We have
:09:04. > :09:07.not made the motion because the DUP have introduced apparition of
:09:08. > :09:11.concern and I take it the 11th hour of this assembly, the introduction
:09:12. > :09:15.of this shows that the DUP have not learned anything from the last six
:09:16. > :09:20.weeks, they have not woken to the reality that their arrogance of the
:09:21. > :09:23.denial of democratic rights of others in this chamber and society
:09:24. > :09:26.is not acceptable so we have decided not to move the motion this evening
:09:27. > :09:32.and we will not involve ourselves in a debate which is effectively
:09:33. > :09:36.blocked. Does that achieve anything? Our views on the speaker have not
:09:37. > :09:40.changed, our views on the DUP have not changed but it does show that we
:09:41. > :09:44.will not be a ourselves to be drawn in to meeting with this debate in
:09:45. > :09:48.the assembly and after the elections we will not a ourselves to be drawn
:09:49. > :09:53.into meaningless discussions with parties who are not serious about
:09:54. > :09:57.equality or change or sharing the spread of the island with the rest
:09:58. > :10:03.of the people. If Robin Newton off the hook for now? What this is about
:10:04. > :10:07.is Sinn Fein using all of these issues to distract from the core
:10:08. > :10:13.agenda that they have and they have outlined that repeatedly now around
:10:14. > :10:20.equality, the Trojan horse to break unionism. They feel they can use RHI
:10:21. > :10:23.now as a reason to go to the country because they believe that will
:10:24. > :10:26.inflict damage. Is it not a good reason given the amount of money
:10:27. > :10:31.involved? I want to get to the truth of that, I want an inquiry and
:10:32. > :10:34.should be no hiding place for anybody and Arlene Foster has made
:10:35. > :10:38.that clear but they are using that to try and undo what happened only
:10:39. > :10:43.eight months ago when our party came back with over 200,000 boats and key
:10:44. > :10:47.Republican demands that they are insisting upon, they have not
:10:48. > :10:51.delivered. Everybody needs to respect each other's mandates but
:10:52. > :10:53.that cuts both ways. Sinn Fein are ticking down these institutions
:10:54. > :10:57.because they want to break unionism and we're going out into an election
:10:58. > :11:01.that will ultimately lead to negotiations and they want to have
:11:02. > :11:04.rolled over unionism and this party will be putting forward a strong
:11:05. > :11:09.team, recognising that we are beer being tested as never before by
:11:10. > :11:13.Republicans and we will continue to hold our ground. There will be a
:11:14. > :11:18.different strategy this time, it will not be team Arlene? Arlene
:11:19. > :11:21.Foster is leading our party into these elections. She was voted in as
:11:22. > :11:26.the First Minister because that is what the public voted for. Will it
:11:27. > :11:30.be the same this time the flag is whimsical and had an election, Sinn
:11:31. > :11:33.Fein are using the ballot box strategy to continue to pursue their
:11:34. > :11:37.key Republican objectives and we will continue to use the ballot box
:11:38. > :11:42.to get a mandate to represent the people who elect us so we will put
:11:43. > :11:47.people first, our country first, Sinn Fein are putting party first to
:11:48. > :11:51.pursue their key goals. Do you want give them be to get up and running
:11:52. > :11:55.again? We do, we want a functioning, working assembly vote on the
:11:56. > :11:57.foundations of the Good Friday agreement on the other agreements we
:11:58. > :12:00.have worked out with the other parties and the British and Irish
:12:01. > :12:04.Lions a month. There is a responsibility on us all to get
:12:05. > :12:09.these institutions up and running again but they have to be built on a
:12:10. > :12:13.firmer foundation on an agreement. You don't wait ten years to
:12:14. > :12:17.implement parts of the agreement or make boasts about blocking of the
:12:18. > :12:21.agreement. The agreement. There is a responsibility in local parties but
:12:22. > :12:25.also in the British government in relation to legacy issues. James
:12:26. > :12:29.Brokenshire and the British government are also part of the
:12:30. > :12:32.problem. You said in November that you will not deserve the electorate,
:12:33. > :12:36.you will not leave the electorate with a long period of direct rule,
:12:37. > :12:41.only three months ago? We are not deserting the electorate. You have
:12:42. > :12:45.real concerns you will get agreement with your partners in government?
:12:46. > :12:51.Everyone has commented on this. It is now over to the electorate to
:12:52. > :12:58.make decisions about the future of this society. What are they putting
:12:59. > :13:00.for? They are voting for accountability, ensuring the
:13:01. > :13:06.corruption, whether alleged or other ways, is held to account. Are they
:13:07. > :13:09.voting for a Stormont assembly or direct rule? They are voting for the
:13:10. > :13:16.working institutions of the Good Friday agreement but the emphasis is
:13:17. > :13:21.on working. Joint authority, is that possible to? I know that what Mike
:13:22. > :13:26.Nesbitt has said but if you vote for him,, that is not our position. Sinn
:13:27. > :13:29.Fein are clear on what they are trying to do, they are walking away
:13:30. > :13:34.from this difficulty for political advantage when they cost us ?174
:13:35. > :13:39.million over welfare reform, we won't go away -- we didn't walk
:13:40. > :13:43.away. They are using RHI is a distraction from the core agenda
:13:44. > :13:50.they have. That is to weaken unionism and the public know what
:13:51. > :13:54.that is about. Is he seriously suggesting that Unionist viewers
:13:55. > :13:58.watching this tonight are going to accept the fact that the DUP put
:13:59. > :14:02.together a package which is costing the taxpayer four million ? the
:14:03. > :14:08.leader of the party is refusing to step aside without prejudice and
:14:09. > :14:15.allow and encourage take place? Don't believe that is what unionism
:14:16. > :14:19.or nationalism is about. The final point from you. Remarkably, Sinn
:14:20. > :14:22.Fein think they know what Unionists believe that reminds me of a story
:14:23. > :14:29.in the Bible about the man who built the gallows for Mordechai believing
:14:30. > :14:34.that which lead to their downfall. They know the plot they are trying
:14:35. > :14:37.to conspire against the DUP and to weaken unionism and they will rally
:14:38. > :14:40.around the calls that we will go to the country for. What about the
:14:41. > :14:47.analysis that you don't want Stormont on running again? It is the
:14:48. > :14:51.agreements that we have signed up to in the last ten years and that is
:14:52. > :14:56.working, functioning as it uses of the Good Friday agreement but all
:14:57. > :15:00.the parties have to deliver and that includes the British and are
:15:01. > :15:03.government 's and the DUP. We believe we can govern ourselves
:15:04. > :15:06.better than anyone else. But we cannot govern ourselves with
:15:07. > :15:12.corruption at the heart. Alleged corruption? Alleged financial
:15:13. > :15:15.corruption but certainly political corruption in the last couple of
:15:16. > :15:18.years so do we want working instructions? Of course but they can
:15:19. > :15:22.only work on the basis of the agreement upon which they were
:15:23. > :15:25.built. When Sinn Fein don't get their way, the President has now
:15:26. > :15:29.been set, they will bring the institutions down because they will
:15:30. > :15:33.not respect democratic will of the people in order to force the agenda
:15:34. > :15:37.that they have so the public have a clear choice, do they reward Sinn
:15:38. > :15:40.Fein 's bad behaviour or do they respect the results that happened
:15:41. > :15:44.only eight months ago was like we have put forward a strong case to
:15:45. > :15:46.the public because Sinn Fein want to break us and the unionist people
:15:47. > :15:53.know that and we will be resolute in the face of it. I share the concerns
:15:54. > :15:58.around RHI, that is why we are trying to do with it. Plenty of time
:15:59. > :16:05.over the next few weeks to have an election campaign. Let's hear from
:16:06. > :16:09.the opposition parties now. Danny Kennedy, is that the case that a
:16:10. > :16:14.vote for the UUP will lead to joint authority?
:16:15. > :16:19.Absolutely not. We're made it abundantly clear that we would not
:16:20. > :16:23.support any prospect of joint authority. Let me say, this is a
:16:24. > :16:26.deeply depressing day that the people of Northern Ireland and for
:16:27. > :16:30.the electorate who are watching this and the spectacle of the collapse of
:16:31. > :16:36.the political institutions that have been so hard-fought four and so much
:16:37. > :16:40.demanded. But you walked away from those institutions. The sole
:16:41. > :16:44.responsibility for that breakdown as a collective failure, a DUP and Sinn
:16:45. > :16:52.Fein failure of working cohesively together. Added that, unacceptable
:16:53. > :16:58.manner in which an R a H I scheme has been allowed to continue. It is
:16:59. > :17:05.time for the electorate to give its verdict on RHI and the appalling
:17:06. > :17:09.loss of potential monies to the Northern Ireland executive. It is
:17:10. > :17:12.time now for change any Ulster Unionist Party will fight a
:17:13. > :17:16.constructive election campaign seeking change. This is a good
:17:17. > :17:19.opportunity the body, but do you think you have a different methods
:17:20. > :17:23.of the one Sinn Fein is putting out? A very different message. It is very
:17:24. > :17:29.worrying that we are now clearly adding to to election but also
:17:30. > :17:33.allowing it to collapse. I genuinely want to get these institutions up
:17:34. > :17:37.and running again. Especially people vote for the same old. If they vote
:17:38. > :17:42.for the DUP amateur volley Sinn Fein, they know what they're going
:17:43. > :17:47.to get. They broke the ground, then we can work together. Can you
:17:48. > :17:51.imagine a coalition again? The old party without a 2-party system? It
:17:52. > :17:56.is not about seeds France. It is about delivery. -- seats for us. We
:17:57. > :18:01.told them that they couldn't deliver. We told the more the things
:18:02. > :18:08.that Sinn Fein are now saying they are all annoyed about. Sinn Fein did
:18:09. > :18:11.listen and the DUP didn't listen. It only took seven months of proper
:18:12. > :18:14.accountability for this Government to collapse, that tells you
:18:15. > :18:19.everything you need to know. When it comes the next step then, can you
:18:20. > :18:22.imagine a situation when we will have this act together and have The
:18:23. > :18:28.Assembly running again? That is done to the public. They have an
:18:29. > :18:33.opportunity to make decisions to who want the -- to who they want to send
:18:34. > :18:37.back to The Assembly. We did not bring them down. We have been
:18:38. > :18:41.consistent in our support for these institutions. When talking about
:18:42. > :18:47.plan B what should happen next, the only thing that the public want is
:18:48. > :18:51.that these institutions should work. We want people who will be
:18:52. > :18:57.transparent and accountable and who are enthusiastic about taking
:18:58. > :19:01.responsibility and taking power and do the work on behalf of the people
:19:02. > :19:05.who do electors. Eight months is a disgrace for a Government to fall
:19:06. > :19:09.apart and to see people so gleefully electioneering as they have been
:19:10. > :19:16.this afternoon when has been a huge collapse under huge uncertainty
:19:17. > :19:20.about the future of Northern Ireland I think is disgraceful. We will be
:19:21. > :19:21.back a bit later in the programme with the latest on the RHI
:19:22. > :19:26.legislation debate. The current Assembly
:19:27. > :19:28.comes to an early end without agreeing a budget for start
:19:29. > :19:31.of the new financial year in April. A senior civil servant has warned
:19:32. > :19:34.that could lead to a huge range of difficulties,
:19:35. > :19:39.particularly for the health service. Our Economics and Business Editor
:19:40. > :19:42.John Campbell is here. No budget in place,
:19:43. > :19:54.no likelihood of one What happens is what the senior
:19:55. > :20:01.civil servant is trying to spell out to MLA today, mist or Stirling
:20:02. > :20:04.struck an optimistic note saying that there will be election which
:20:05. > :20:07.will give a few weeks to potentially put an executive back together again
:20:08. > :20:11.and agree a budget just in time before the start of the financial
:20:12. > :20:16.year in April. That means he is a bit more optimistic than many people
:20:17. > :20:24.around Stormont. An executive can't be put together, then there will be
:20:25. > :20:30.enormous powers for him. On the 29th of March, we will have access to 75%
:20:31. > :20:36.of this year's budget. Immediately on hand, public services will
:20:37. > :20:40.continue to operate even if there is a Government no budget agreed. What
:20:41. > :20:44.does that mean for the running of the departments? The normal business
:20:45. > :20:52.of Stormont? Even though mist or Stirling was people he said it was a
:20:53. > :20:55.very unsatisfactory situation. He precisely set up there with the
:20:56. > :21:00.Government in place for a prolonged period of time, part a couple of
:21:01. > :21:06.months, that would pose a huge range of difficult as in a wide range of
:21:07. > :21:12.areas. They gave it wide a specific example which was the hill fog
:21:13. > :21:16.service. In other words, the Department of Health is a huge
:21:17. > :21:19.department and has half of the budget. They need to have certainty
:21:20. > :21:23.at the start of the year so they can plan the certainties. If there is no
:21:24. > :21:24.budget in place, that will cause difficulties to services majority
:21:25. > :21:28.under pressure. And there's also a big
:21:29. > :21:35.issue with rates bills, Mist or Stirling will get access to
:21:36. > :21:44.a huge range of powers. Setting rates is one of those. It is a piece
:21:45. > :21:48.of legislation which allows people to levy tax on business and
:21:49. > :21:52.households. If there is no power to collect those raids, then what
:21:53. > :21:56.happens? There is contingency ban in place, usually the rates are
:21:57. > :21:59.collected over a ten month period, so could be possible than rather
:22:00. > :22:03.gaining your rates in April, it could be made or June and you're
:22:04. > :22:06.paying the ten months after that. That is the initial contingency
:22:07. > :22:10.plan. If there was no money coming in, what are the councils do? Mr
:22:11. > :22:13.Stirling said he could make money available to them for at least a
:22:14. > :22:19.couple of months. He was emphasising that can only be a very short-term
:22:20. > :22:26.solution, it if this runs on much more Cejudo or early July, there
:22:27. > :22:29.will be a relief budget crunch. When he was hinting at if there is no
:22:30. > :22:33.executive or budget in place at the end of July, then a minister would
:22:34. > :22:35.have two step in and impose a budget to avoid a complete collapse of the
:22:36. > :22:37.budget. The MLAs have been
:22:38. > :22:53.debating the bedroom tax As Mark Davenport was saying
:22:54. > :22:59.earlier, the renewable eat plan was -- eat plan was just in time to the
:23:00. > :23:05.severed comeback next week and scrutinise that properly. You could
:23:06. > :23:09.still get a financial resolution before the election. The bedroom
:23:10. > :23:12.tax, the regulations have gone through, so that means the
:23:13. > :23:16.mitigation is in place for the bedroom tax. So, people who feared
:23:17. > :23:24.they might lose out, they will not. That has been sorted.
:23:25. > :23:27.Two years after the death of a 13-year-old Fermanagh boy
:23:28. > :23:29.following a playground incident, a former pupil at his school
:23:30. > :23:31.has appeared in court charged with manslaughter.
:23:32. > :23:33.Our South West reporter Julian Fowler was at the hearing
:23:34. > :23:38.Oisin McGrath died four days after an incident at this college in
:23:39. > :23:47.Francis Maude Dermot was in the sixth form at the
:23:48. > :23:54.The 19-year-old is accused of unlawful killing.
:23:55. > :24:01.The family were in court and the defence
:24:02. > :24:05.asked to express continuing sympathy to them, saying that what had
:24:06. > :24:06.happened had devastated two families.
:24:07. > :24:08.The solicitor said that Francis would carry
:24:09. > :24:10.the memory and effect of what
:24:11. > :24:13.happened in the schoolyard that day with him for the rest of his life.
:24:14. > :24:16.He said that he was instructed to minimise the pain the justice
:24:17. > :24:24.process would have for the McGrath family.
:24:25. > :24:26.Sentiments which the judge said were laudable in an
:24:27. > :24:27.extremely difficult set of circumstances.
:24:28. > :24:29.Francis Maude Dermot confirmed he understood the charge
:24:30. > :24:31.and when asked if he had anything to
:24:32. > :24:35.He was released on bail for ?500 and will appear in
:24:36. > :24:50.Efforts to stop the closure of a GP practice in Portadown have failed.
:24:51. > :24:52.A contractor withdrew from the process.
:24:53. > :24:55.Bannview practice faced closure after its last
:24:56. > :24:57.Our Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly reports.
:24:58. > :24:59.At one time there were four full-time GPs working from this
:25:00. > :25:08.Portadown practice caring for around 5,200 men, women and children.
:25:09. > :25:12.the years as GPs retired, they were not replaced.
:25:13. > :25:16.Despite the warning signs, after Christmas the last
:25:17. > :25:18.remaining GP resigned saying she could no longer cope with the
:25:19. > :25:22.Nearby practices told the BBC they were too overstretched
:25:23. > :25:26.and unable to take on the patients and instead it was left in the hands
:25:27. > :25:28.of the Health and Social Care Board to fix.
:25:29. > :25:35.While a contract has been found, late this afternoon it emerged
:25:36. > :25:37.that that GP has now withdrawn from the contract.
:25:38. > :25:47.the health minister said: the move was extremely
:25:48. > :25:50.disappointing and that she has called for an urgent meeting with
:25:51. > :25:52.the Health and Social Care Board to ensure patients receive high-quality
:25:53. > :25:56.The statement added that the health board will continue
:25:57. > :25:58.to manage the practice until a new contractor is appointed.
:25:59. > :26:00.It is not ideal that locums could be in charge
:26:01. > :26:11.Patients those who are older often require someone who knows their
:26:12. > :26:14.Unless problems are addressed, the BMA is warning this
:26:15. > :26:20.Nearly 400 people were arrested for drink-driving in
:26:21. > :26:35.Northern Ireland over Christmas, that's a slight fall on last year.
:26:36. > :26:37.The police say warned hundreds of others
:26:38. > :26:39.who tested positive for alcohol but were within the legal limit.
:26:40. > :26:45.But today a senior police officer said many people are still ignoring
:26:46. > :26:50.They will face fines, they will face disqualifications, some of them may
:26:51. > :26:54.even lose their jobs and will not be able to travel and will be looking
:26:55. > :26:57.at increased insurance bills. Hopefully it will be a stain for
:26:58. > :26:57.people who know them socially, as well.
:26:58. > :27:00.Between the end of November and the start of this
:27:01. > :27:01.month, the police tested nearly 11,000 drivers.
:27:02. > :27:04.That's more than twice as many as last year.
:27:05. > :27:07.Of these, 383 were found to be over the alcohol limit, a marginal
:27:08. > :27:14.In addition to the arrests, nearly 300 others received warnings
:27:15. > :27:22.after testing positive for alcohol but within the legal limit.
:27:23. > :27:27.The youngest offender this year was 17 years of age and the eldest 80.
:27:28. > :27:32.The spam is right across the country and right across ages. Some
:27:33. > :27:39.ridiculously high reading to people should be having medical digital to
:27:40. > :27:40.-- medical difficulties let alone getting behind the wheel of a
:27:41. > :27:41.vehicle. Police say anyone
:27:42. > :27:43.who's drank even a small amount of alcohol should
:27:44. > :27:44.never consider driving. A west Belfast man who denies
:27:45. > :27:48.being Britain's former top spy inside the IRA is now facing
:27:49. > :27:53.at least 20 separate lawsuits. The scale of litigation against
:27:54. > :27:56.Freddie Scappaticci was revealed Writs have been issued
:27:57. > :28:01.in a series of cases involving claims of kidnapping
:28:02. > :28:03.and interrogating Mr Scappaticci left Nothern Ireland
:28:04. > :28:09.in 2003 after being identified The police have asked for the civil
:28:10. > :28:20.hearings to be delayed for two years because of an ongoing
:28:21. > :28:21.criminal investigation. A man who sexually abused
:28:22. > :28:28.an altarboy at the Clonard Novena in Belfast was spared
:28:29. > :28:30.a jail sentence after Martin Cassidy was placed
:28:31. > :28:35.on Probation for three years after he admitted abusing
:28:36. > :28:37.the altarboy in 1988. Belfast Crown Court
:28:38. > :28:40.was told that the 67-year old from Orchard Mews in Befast
:28:41. > :28:43.was volunteering at the Novena at the request of his brother,
:28:44. > :28:56.who at the time was a priest. We are on a bit longer this evening
:28:57. > :28:59.because of the events at Stormont on the announcement of an assembly
:29:00. > :29:04.election on the 2nd of March. We also have an extended late news at
:29:05. > :29:07.half past ten tonight. Back to what has been happening at The Assembly
:29:08. > :29:13.where they have been discussing the renewable heat incentive scheme. The
:29:14. > :29:18.former enterprise Minister at the DUP has been addressing MLAs. This
:29:19. > :29:24.is what he has to say. I believe these matters can be investigated in
:29:25. > :29:28.this week, alongside the very first piece of information given to me in
:29:29. > :29:33.the ministerial office. By the DUP, party officer appointed special
:29:34. > :29:37.adviser Timothy Kearns that you will not be allowed to reduce the tariff
:29:38. > :29:45.on the scheme because Timothy Johnson special adviser to the First
:29:46. > :29:49.Minister and John Robertson special adviser to the DUP and now special
:29:50. > :29:55.adviser to the column Minister has such interest in the poultry
:29:56. > :30:01.industry, it is not been allowed on the agenda. I have the records in
:30:02. > :30:05.many formats. This party has suspended me for telling the truth
:30:06. > :30:10.while I give a First Minister and the deputy leader and the chairman
:30:11. > :30:14.of the party all the information about this. People who are sitting
:30:15. > :30:21.beside and behind them have much more serious offences. The special
:30:22. > :30:25.adviser to the First Minister, Timothy Johnson, said, I have no
:30:26. > :30:29.family connections to the poultry industry and I have no connection to
:30:30. > :30:35.the RHI scheme, these are unsubstantiated allegations. I have
:30:36. > :30:39.two brothers nor in the poultry industry and they have no connection
:30:40. > :30:44.to the scheme. John Robinson the former DUP director to
:30:45. > :30:47.communications now special adviser to the economy Minister Simon
:30:48. > :30:52.Hamilton said I have no personal interest in the poultry industry,
:30:53. > :30:53.two of my brothers are poultry farmers, but they have no
:30:54. > :30:57.connections to RHI. Now sport, Stephen Watson's
:30:58. > :30:59.here with news of new faces Ulster have announced two
:31:00. > :31:09.new player signings today. The South African international back
:31:10. > :31:11.row Arno Botha and the Connacht scrum-half John Cooney both
:31:12. > :31:13.will join the province on two-year In the immediate future, Ulster have
:31:14. > :31:18.just their Pro12 campaign to focus on after they were knocked out
:31:19. > :31:36.of Europe yesterday And the European adventure ends the
:31:37. > :31:39.Ulster, for the third season in a row, the side have failed to qualify
:31:40. > :31:43.for the quarterfinal stages of the northern hemisphere's premier
:31:44. > :31:52.competition. They said their intentions out early. And despite
:31:53. > :32:02.some flashes of poised power and precision from this New Zealander,
:32:03. > :32:07.the English premiership side turned the screw in the second half,
:32:08. > :32:14.dominating territory and possession, citing their way through the Ulster
:32:15. > :32:20.defence. Ulster 's European theatre was sealed when Jackson was yellow
:32:21. > :32:22.carded in the closing minutes for a deliberate knock-on with the referee
:32:23. > :32:36.awarding a penalty try, another defeat for Ulster, there is in the
:32:37. > :32:41.last 12 games. Rory McIlroy has been forced to withdraw from the Abu
:32:42. > :32:49.Dhabi championship after tests revealed he has sustained a rib
:32:50. > :32:55.injury. He picked up the injury in South Africa last week. He thought
:32:56. > :33:00.he had a back injury played through the pain yesterday only to lose
:33:01. > :33:06.against Graeme storm. He had started the day three shots behind him but
:33:07. > :33:09.five birdies in a final round of 68 to get to three extra holes before
:33:10. > :33:14.the Englishman prevailed. Rory McIlroy will now commence
:33:15. > :33:15.revalidation and will return to golf when he is fully recovered from that
:33:16. > :33:26.stress fracture. Finally, snooker and Mark Allen has
:33:27. > :33:32.beaten John Higgins 6-5 in the first round of the Masters in London. It
:33:33. > :33:39.was quite a game today. That's the sport.
:33:40. > :33:43.police in Craigavon have been kicking up a storm over a recent
:33:44. > :33:47.Officers there issued a wanted posted for BBC
:33:48. > :33:50.Weather Presenter Barra Best at the weekend - saying he had
:33:51. > :33:52.destroyed the dreams of children and cops.
:33:53. > :33:59.They even offered a reward of two doughnuts for his capture!
:34:00. > :34:02.We've not been able to find him today, but Angie might be
:34:03. > :34:14.able to shine some light on his whereabouts.
:34:15. > :34:20.No more snow any more but it has turned milder. It looks as though
:34:21. > :34:23.we're in for quite a settled and quiet week compared to last week
:34:24. > :34:28.because we have high pressure in charge apart from some this evening.
:34:29. > :34:32.Not a lot of rain in the forecast and maybe one or two bright spells
:34:33. > :34:36.but generally a lot of cloud and things will cool down again later in
:34:37. > :34:42.the week. Today it was mild and plenty of cloud. Some breaks towards
:34:43. > :34:48.the East so in Newcastle we had the odd bit of blue sky. The mist
:34:49. > :34:50.lifting and even some sunshine on the top of the lead honoured with
:34:51. > :34:55.temperatures of 80 degrees there today. That cloud has been piling in
:34:56. > :34:59.again as the weather front approaches. It is bringing in rain
:35:00. > :35:02.throughout edge of Northern Ireland throughout the course of this
:35:03. > :35:07.evening. It clears the way and we are left with a dry night, quite
:35:08. > :35:12.misty but frost free. Those of around 7 degrees. Tomorrow the odd
:35:13. > :35:16.spot of drizzle but a lot of dry weather. A lot of cloud as well and
:35:17. > :35:20.it is likely to be quite a dull and grey start but hopefully as we go
:35:21. > :35:24.through the day, we will see that lifting off the hills. That is when
:35:25. > :35:28.we might get the odd ride a spell but we are looking at more cloud
:35:29. > :35:32.than sunshine but looking pretty mild with temperatures of ten or 11
:35:33. > :35:39.degrees. We hold onto that mild area into tomorrow night with still a lot
:35:40. > :35:44.of cloud and dry weather around. Temperatures of around five or 6
:35:45. > :35:50.degrees. Then on Wednesday, apart from the odd spot of just all, it is
:35:51. > :35:53.looking miles. That trend continues through the rest of the week, a few
:35:54. > :36:09.bright spells but after the cloudy and mainly dry.
:36:10. > :36:15.The MLAs are thinking about the election but they have fought to get
:36:16. > :36:19.through before that. They have put off until next week any discussion
:36:20. > :36:24.of that eating plan, the plan from Simon Hamilton to recover some of
:36:25. > :36:28.the potential losses of the renewable heating scheme, but won't
:36:29. > :36:33.happen until next week. But they got onto this business of no confidence
:36:34. > :36:37.in the assembly Speaker Robin Uden. That was a Sinn Fein motion. Then
:36:38. > :36:45.they said because the DUP had put down their veto, they were going to
:36:46. > :36:50.pull it but right now, we in a short adjournment, the MLAs are returning
:36:51. > :36:56.at 7:30 as there is debate as whether it has gone past the point
:36:57. > :37:03.of return. We heard from Sinn Fein in the DUP and it was quite heated.
:37:04. > :37:07.Have had these statements from James Brokenshire and also from the Irish
:37:08. > :37:10.Foreign Minister that they want these parties to be respectful of
:37:11. > :37:15.each other in this election campaign. I think essentially that
:37:16. > :37:20.we will have a tough election campaign. We have a Valentines day
:37:21. > :37:24.registration date and that will be the only lovely Debbie thing about
:37:25. > :37:32.this campaign. We will have all the latest on a bit
:37:33. > :37:37.bulletin at 10:30. That was newsline on the day and election was cold by
:37:38. > :37:43.the 2nd of March. Power sharing collapsed over a row over the RHI
:37:44. > :37:45.which could cause tax payers nearly half ?1 billion.