:00:07. > :00:17.A former police officer has admitted killing a man by dangerous
:00:18. > :00:18.Eilish MacSherry, who is 41 and from Brookmount Heights
:00:19. > :00:19.in Omagh, pleaded guilty to four charges in connection
:00:20. > :00:24.He was a father-of-two from Killyclogher.
:00:25. > :00:26.Our south-west reporter Julian Fowler was at
:00:27. > :00:31.When Eilish MacSherry first appeared in court in September,
:00:32. > :00:36.But today, when the charges were put to her again,
:00:37. > :00:41.she admitted she was responsible for the fatal crash.
:00:42. > :00:44.She was driving one of two cars which collided head on close
:00:45. > :00:53.to Omagh town centre in October last year.
:00:54. > :00:55.The driver of the second car, 49-year-old Paul Mills,
:00:56. > :01:00.Eilish MacSherry was serving PSNI officer
:01:01. > :01:11.Today, Eilish MacSherry, carrying a blue umbrella,
:01:12. > :01:17.left court after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous
:01:18. > :01:20.driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident,
:01:21. > :01:24.and driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
:01:25. > :01:28.Members of Mr Mills' family wept in the public gallery
:01:29. > :01:38.as Eilish MacSherry stood in the dock in front of them.
:01:39. > :01:41.A defence solicitor said alcohol dependency was a feature of this
:01:42. > :01:44.case, but that his client had been dry since the accident happened.
:01:45. > :01:46.The judge told Eilish MacSherry that the offences are serious,
:01:47. > :01:50.and have had a devastating impact on the family involved.
:01:51. > :01:58.He released her on bail until the sentencing hearing,
:01:59. > :02:03.and warned her that a significant custodial sentence is inevitable
:02:04. > :02:07.when she returns to court in February.
:02:08. > :02:10.A man has died in a one-vehicle crash on the M1 in County Tyrone.
:02:11. > :02:12.It happened near Tamnamore between Junctions 13 and 14
:02:13. > :02:18.It follows the death of a Londonderry woman in a two-car
:02:19. > :02:20.collision in Donegal last night, outside the village
:02:21. > :02:32.The cost of the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme
:02:33. > :02:34.could be ?490 million, according to the Department
:02:35. > :02:38.of the Economy, which is headed by DUP minister Simon Hamilton.
:02:39. > :02:41.The original estimate for the scheme given to an Assembly committee
:02:42. > :02:43.was just over ?400 million over 20 years.
:02:44. > :02:45.Earlier today, the Sinn Fein finance minister, Mairtin O'Muilleoir,
:02:46. > :02:48.said the cost to the taxpayer could be as high as ?600 million.
:02:49. > :02:52.He said hundreds of businesses had abused the Renewable
:02:53. > :03:10.The PricewaterhouseCoopers report that was delivered to the Department
:03:11. > :03:18.of the economy in October look that 300 businesses. In that survey they
:03:19. > :03:22.said only 47% for using the scheme in an eligible fashion.
:03:23. > :03:27.Extrapolating from that, I am not saying it would be true right across
:03:28. > :03:31.the nearly 2,000 businesses, but I have no doubt that hundreds of
:03:32. > :03:35.businesses are playing the system and that needs to come to stop
:03:36. > :03:37.urgently, it needs to come to stop now.
:03:38. > :03:39.The SDLP and Sinn Fein have strongly criticised DUP
:03:40. > :03:42.Communities Minister Paul Givan for a decision to withdraw
:03:43. > :03:43.funding for an Irish language bursary scheme.
:03:44. > :03:47.The Liofa Bursary enabled at least 100 people a year to attend summer
:03:48. > :03:48.Irish language classes in the Donegal gaeltacht.
:03:49. > :03:51.The SDLP and Sinn Fein have called the move unfair and unacceptable.
:03:52. > :04:00.The Liofa programme was set up by Carol McGill and to encourage
:04:01. > :04:10.A bursary scheme worth up to ?50,000 per year enabled to 100 people
:04:11. > :04:13.who otherwise could not afford it to spend time in Irish language
:04:14. > :04:40.This scheme has been offered to children from all across Ireland's.
:04:41. > :04:43.It is the children themselves or be affected by these cuts. The
:04:44. > :04:47.Department for communities says it is juju need to make efficiency
:04:48. > :04:48.savings, but those involved are calling for the decision to be
:04:49. > :04:51.reversed. It has been all go at the ports
:04:52. > :04:55.and airports today, as thousands of people come home for Christmas,
:04:56. > :04:58.some from as far away as Australia. Our reporter Mervyn Jess was there
:04:59. > :05:00.to see some happy reunions. This is the busiest day over
:05:01. > :05:02.the Christmas period It may come around once every
:05:03. > :05:17.year, but is no less They have been waiting to be here
:05:18. > :05:23.reunited with their friends in over a year.
:05:24. > :05:29.Also on the flight, pop star Tim Wheeler.
:05:30. > :05:36.I came from New York, so little bit sleepy from the flight.
:05:37. > :05:38.Is it as manic over there as it is over here?
:05:39. > :05:42.The US consul general was having family over from the States
:05:43. > :05:44.for their first ever Christmas in Northern Ireland.
:05:45. > :05:46.We have been very lucky, very fortunate this Christmas
:05:47. > :05:48.to have my wife's cousin and her grown-up
:05:49. > :06:01.We're really pleased to welcome them to Northern Ireland.
:06:02. > :06:06.We have 21 flights in today, not a seat on any of them.
:06:07. > :06:12.That has been the case the last four days.
:06:13. > :06:16.At Belfast City Airport, it was a similar story.
:06:17. > :06:18.People glad to see family and friends they have
:06:19. > :06:21.General excitement, families just glad to be home
:06:22. > :06:31.Try to get my son to losing this accident and speak
:06:32. > :06:39.We live in Dubai, there's a first-time hamper
:06:40. > :06:44.I am visiting for ten days from Australia,
:06:45. > :06:55.She's been here for the last ten days.
:06:56. > :06:59.We haven't been home for about nine years, so it is lovely.
:07:00. > :07:09.Elsewhere, the bad weather led to the cancellation
:07:10. > :07:20.But the main sea crossings are performing as normal.
:07:21. > :07:23.Rugby now and Ulster are in fourth place in the Guinness Pro12 this
:07:24. > :07:25.evening after a 23 to seven points win over Connacht at
:07:26. > :07:37.In bitterly cold conditions in Belfast, Ulster picked up a win that
:07:38. > :07:41.maintains the play-off push in the Pro12. The home side had taken the
:07:42. > :07:46.lead through the Paddy Jackson penalty before Charles Piatau probe
:07:47. > :07:53.to set up the opening try. Lots of white shirts there. Stuart McCluskey
:07:54. > :07:58.was on hand to finish off in the corner. Jackson converted before a
:07:59. > :08:03.late penalty gave his side a 13-0 advantage at half-time. After the
:08:04. > :08:09.break, Ulster continued to press. Clive Ross barged over for the
:08:10. > :08:14.second try, his first for the club. Connacht hit back. Jack Carty opened
:08:15. > :08:17.the account, and he added the conversion. Another Jackson penalty
:08:18. > :08:23.steadied the ship, and that was enough to secure a significant win.
:08:24. > :08:26.Next up for Ulster, another interprovincial derby over the
:08:27. > :08:29.festive period, a way to Leinster on New Year's Eve.
:08:30. > :08:36.On to the Christmas weather outlook now, with Geoff Maskell.
:08:37. > :08:42.Good evening. After a stormy but relatively mild day, tonight things
:08:43. > :08:47.get a bit cooler. It could be some wintry nets in the showers
:08:48. > :08:51.overnight. As we head into Christmas Eve, we keep that westerly flow to
:08:52. > :08:57.our weather, the showers coming in on quite a stiff breeze. Chilly to
:08:58. > :09:01.start with temperatures at seven or 8 degrees. Heading into the
:09:02. > :09:06.afternoon, the showers turning to more persistent rain and that is the
:09:07. > :09:10.sign of mild air starting to the game. You can see that in the
:09:11. > :09:15.temperatures. We can't draw a line time here and we have some cooler
:09:16. > :09:20.temperatures to the east, more mild temperatures to the West. As we go
:09:21. > :09:24.through the evening of Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day, the mild air
:09:25. > :09:30.will continue to feeding on the breeze. As this warm front comes
:09:31. > :09:34.through, this triangle of air will sit over us, it will be breezy,
:09:35. > :09:38.cloudy and very mild with highs of 13 degrees to start with, getting
:09:39. > :09:45.cooler through the day. By Boxing Day back to something a bit more
:09:46. > :09:48.usual as the winds drop off. I'd choose the Everything is getting
:09:49. > :09:49.more settled and cooler, and a little bit more calm.
:09:50. > :09:53.Our next BBC Newsline is at 6.25pm tomorrow evening.
:09:54. > :09:55.In the meantime, you can keep updated from our
:09:56. > :10:09.From all of us here on the programme, goodnight.
:10:10. > :10:13.It's Michael McIntyre's festive Big Show.