Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Culbert and Mr. Roberts for their presentations. I welcome Mr. Roberts. It is an indictment of both Governments that following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, and the subsequent St. Andrews, Stormont House and Hillsborough agreements, the outstanding issues have not been resolved. Following on from the quote, "The Governments continue to recognise the importance of measures to facilitate the reintegration of prisoners into the community by providing support", Annex B of the St. Andrews Agreement states the Government will work with business, trade unions and ex-prisoners groups to produce guidance for employers which will reduce barriers to employment and enhance reintegration of former prisoners. That work remains outstanding not only in the Six Counties but in the Twenty-six Counties. Many ex-prisoners have major difficulty and face regular refusals for visas to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in spite of the fact they have sons or daughters or other family members there. If their family member living there experienced a difficulty, through illness or otherwise, they would be unable to travel to see them. That is an issue that has never been addressed or resolved by both Governments.

Many female prisoners who spent their child-bearing years in prison are unable to adopt children when released. I have dealt with Angelo Fusco, an ex-prisoner in both jurisdictions who could not get insurance for his house once he declared he had been an ex-prisoner. That is another form of discrimination in an area that is wide open to everybody else. What makes it more upsetting for those of us who were participants in the conflict is that both Governments recognised clearly, in the lead-up to and in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, that the reason for conflict was political, yet the Governments have done nothing to address these outstanding issues of discrimination.

Have Mr. Culbert and Mr. Roberts been able to meet the ambassador or senior embassy officials in Dublin to discuss these issues? Has the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its counterpart in Northern Ireland helped in any way? Could the Government address those outstanding issues by introducing legislation? What is the feeling among ex-prisoners, particularly the special advisers and people who apply for taxi licence plates? Is confidence in the whole peace process being eroded? The peace process would not have succeeded had it not got the support of 20,000 from the republican and loyalist sides who were imprisoned during the conflict.

It would not have happened without the prisoners buying into it and supporting it. Can Mr. Culbert outline how much money has been applied for to ensure the network and the other groups that are working in interface areas to try to bring about reconciliation, including the coiste and EPIC, can continue to develop the peace process? I would also like him to elaborate on whether this is being closed down because of a lack of funding.