Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To follow on from the previous speaker, one of the consequences of what Deputy Ellis is proposing is that the whole concept of Garda clearance would be thrown up in the air for every aspect of work in the public service, be it at voluntary or paid level. Is it suggested that because a child abuser has gone through some sort of rehabilitation, that person is suitable to go back to work in child care? Naturally enough, nobody is suggesting that. It would set an extremely dangerous precedent if people who had potentially been convicted of murder, explosives charges or a whole range of offences were driving people around in taxis, with, as Deputy Coffey said, those people themselves being legitimate targets as well.

When it comes to issues north of the Border, we have seen all too recently that there is still an awfully long way to go, and that goes also for people who are engaged in less than civil proceedings on this side of the Border. There is an awfully long way to go.

It is a pity the Good Friday Agreement is being politicised in this fashion. I do not know of anybody who voted on the Good Friday Agreement who would want or intended their vote to be used to allow people convicted of the most serious crimes to be awarded taxi licences.