:00:00. > :00:08.The leader of the Assembly's largest opposition party
:00:09. > :00:10.has repeated his call for the First Minister
:00:11. > :00:15.It follows the release of a letter she sent to banks,
:00:16. > :00:17.urging them to support businesses wanting to invest
:00:18. > :00:21.in the controversial Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
:00:22. > :00:29.The overspend on the Renewable Heat Incentive is expected to run to
:00:30. > :00:45.It has now emerged in a letter she sent to banks in 2013,
:00:46. > :00:49.Arlene Foster encourage banks to look favourably on approaches from
:00:50. > :00:50.businesses seeking finance for renewable technologies.
:00:51. > :00:55.She also said the government would offer its support,
:00:56. > :00:58.was reliable, long-term and offered a good return on investment.
:00:59. > :01:00.Opposition parties say the letter proves Arlene Foster
:01:01. > :01:02.was across every important detail of this scheme.
:01:03. > :01:08.Mrs Foster has woven a web in which she is now entangled,
:01:09. > :01:12.telling the banks that this term will last for 20 years
:01:13. > :01:14.and that the subsidy is never going down,
:01:15. > :01:18.but telling the rest of us she is going to close the scheme and save
:01:19. > :01:22.The only honourable way out of this mess is for her to resign.
:01:23. > :01:26.Sinn Fein have repeatedly called for an independent investigation.
:01:27. > :01:29.The Department for Economy has issued a statement,
:01:30. > :01:36.defending the minister's letters in 2013.
:01:37. > :01:39.They say action to encourage uptake was being considered,
:01:40. > :01:49.It also said the flaws in the scheme had not been recognised at the time.
:01:50. > :01:52.And in a statement, the DUP's Simon Hamilton said the contents
:01:53. > :01:56.of the letter served to underline the misapprehension the Department
:01:57. > :01:59.was then working under, rather than expose knowledge
:02:00. > :02:05.He said his party supports an investigation which can be free
:02:06. > :02:14.It's that time of year again, when those who've achieved
:02:15. > :02:16.extraordinary things in public life are thanked and honoured
:02:17. > :02:20.And as our reporter, Ita Dungan, has been finding out,
:02:21. > :02:23.this year's New Year's Honours List celebrates some of the best
:02:24. > :02:30.One man honoured on this year's list already holds the honour of bringing
:02:31. > :02:33.Northern Ireland to its first ever European Championships.
:02:34. > :02:36.For Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill,
:02:37. > :02:40.royal recognition and an MBE for his services to
:02:41. > :02:43.football and community - something no football fan
:02:44. > :02:53.Another MBE for 20-year-old Paralympian sensation Bethany Firth.
:02:54. > :02:57.She brought home three gold medals and a silver from the Rio games,
:02:58. > :02:59.and clocked up two world and a Paralympic
:03:00. > :03:08.Not everyone on the list lives in the spotlight -
:03:09. > :03:13.For the last 45 years, Tom McKenna has dedicated his life
:03:14. > :03:19.to Crewe United football club - as a player, manager and chairperson
:03:20. > :03:25.but also a man dedicated to building bridges.
:03:26. > :03:39.After the Warrington born in we established contact with Warrington
:03:40. > :03:41.and Lisburn that has been sustained including us going there to play and
:03:42. > :03:42.then coming here. And all those sportsmen and women
:03:43. > :03:44.need sustenance - something Simon Dougan of the Yellow Door
:03:45. > :03:46.has been providing for With five establishments flourishing
:03:47. > :04:04.under his belt, Simon says it has Will have old Hall sorts of stuff
:04:05. > :04:09.going on. Prince Charles and Camilla were here in May. They had local
:04:10. > :04:15.cider and gin and tonic and were very pleased. It has been a
:04:16. > :04:17.memorable year. It was the gin and tonic that did the trick!
:04:18. > :04:20.The former Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service,
:04:21. > :04:22.Sue McAllister, received a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
:04:23. > :04:26.During her tenure, the prison service inspectors described
:04:27. > :04:34.Maghaberry as the most dangerous jail in the UK.
:04:35. > :04:37.And you can read a list of all of the honours' recipients
:04:38. > :04:46.Police say a viable explosive device has been found during a security
:04:47. > :04:51.The device, which was found close to a sports' pitch at Blythe Street
:04:52. > :04:57.in the Sandy Row area, has been taken away for further examination.
:04:58. > :05:00.State papers from the 1980s have revealed how much the British
:05:01. > :05:02.authorities discussed the public image of
:05:03. > :05:08.One document covers the period in 1989, after the Stevens Inquiry
:05:09. > :05:12.prompted the arrest of 28 serving UDR members.
:05:13. > :05:15.The papers, released today, cover several years up
:05:16. > :05:32.Fell over 20 years the UDR supported the RUC and the regular army, seen
:05:33. > :05:37.as either protectors or a sectarian force. The regiment was dogged by
:05:38. > :05:43.rumours of collusion and some members work convicted of murder and
:05:44. > :05:48.other serious crimes. The Stevens Enquiry was tasked to look into it
:05:49. > :05:54.and when 20 members were arrested in 1989 the papers now released show
:05:55. > :06:00.that Colonel tackled the Northern Ireland Secretary about it. They say
:06:01. > :06:06.first of all he thought that the raids on UDR heresies put his force
:06:07. > :06:12.on a par with terrorists. He said that. He believed it was too please
:06:13. > :06:14.Dublin. There had been covert political interference. Both of
:06:15. > :06:25.these were rejected by the secretary asked eight. But eventually they
:06:26. > :06:29.well come to the enquiry. In a quite different document just released by
:06:30. > :06:33.the public record office it has emerged that in 1989 the Northern
:06:34. > :06:37.Ireland Secretary was interested in having what was a quite new
:06:38. > :06:46.experience for him, attending a calix football match. The papers
:06:47. > :06:53.show that enthusiasm in 1989 turned on and I'm but colourful football
:06:54. > :06:57.match -- report. You'd been to the match earlier the same year. More
:06:58. > :06:59.papers are due to be released in the New Year.
:07:00. > :07:07.Now onto the weather forecast for the weekend, with Barra Best.
:07:08. > :07:14.We are all in for a very mild night. Temperatures settling at nine or 10
:07:15. > :07:18.degrees and no frost. Way above average for the time of year. I'll
:07:19. > :07:24.start on New Year's Eve but it will change. There will be rain followed
:07:25. > :07:27.by very cold air. To begin with a dry start, some spells sunshine
:07:28. > :07:31.coming and going, and if you are travelling first thing it is a
:07:32. > :07:34.similar picture across Ireland, England and Wales, but a wet start
:07:35. > :07:38.across much of Scotland as the rain starts to come in. The rain will
:07:39. > :07:44.sink South across Britain and Ireland that it will be a mild day
:07:45. > :07:49.for all of us. For us come into the afternoon the rain will push to was
:07:50. > :07:55.the east coast. Some heavy bursts. But Miles, ten or 11 degrees. Behind
:07:56. > :07:59.the rain, very cold air. If you are heading out on New Year's Eve bring
:08:00. > :08:04.a big coat. The rain will gradually clear away by eight or nine o'clock
:08:05. > :08:08.but behind it will be scattered showers and as temperatures fall to
:08:09. > :08:14.close to freezing we could get the odd wintry flurry over high ground.
:08:15. > :08:17.On Sunday it will be five or 6 degrees. Some sunshine out there
:08:18. > :08:19.towards the north coast. The link older as you factor in the chilly
:08:20. > :08:20.northerly winds. That's it from us until
:08:21. > :08:22.7:35 tomorrow evening. In the meantime you can keep updated
:08:23. > :08:26.with News Online and follow us From all of us here
:08:27. > :08:30.on the programme, goodnight.