Mr. Nigel Gardiner:

I want to echo what Mr. Ciarán de Baróid said about the work being done. People are not aware of the phone calls we get at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. to attend interface areas.

Last year in Londonderry, an issue arose concerning the flying of regimental flags belonging to the Parachute Regiment. Negotiations took place over three and a half days which, on the eve of the Apprentice Boys' parade, had the potential to create major sectarian violence. The ramifications and fallout could have spread but my colleagues and I took that risky gamble to ensure that sectarian strife did not ensue in the streets of Londonderry.

Deputy Seamus Kirk raised the question of retraining and upskilling. One can try one's best to work with limited resources. I have 49 ex-prisoners who are involved through EPIC. They have done their SIA security training in licensed warehouse duties. During Londonderry's City of Culture year they were able to get casual and sustainable employment for a year. The question is what happens thereafter. Are ex-prisoners going to be discriminated against? As it stands, the ex-prisoner consortium is a disparate group, but their community is also maligned and castigated by sections within the community.

It was stated that this committee has no representation from the Unionist and loyalist community. The Official Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party are very good at castigating loyalism and those involved in the From Prison to Peace Partnership. The ladies and gentlemen around this table have taken risks to ensure that the peace process is kept on track. Mr. de Baróid alluded to the murder of two British soldiers at Massereene Barracks and the subsequent murder of two PSNI officers. It should be borne in mind that there have been 63 shooting incidents in Londonderry in the past few years, so all is not well in the garden.

In Northern Ireland at present we have an issue concerning parades and flag protests. There is a major one planned for the end of this month. This is not scaremongering, but we also have a major dissident threat that exists right across Northern Ireland. Does it have the potential to destabilise the peace process? That is the question.

What will happen when we go away and there is no funding to run projects to ensure that our youth are brought to the fore, as Mr. Deane said? To quote from a residential conference held at the weekend, where to now?