Mr. Tom Roberts:

I cannot speak with any great authority about the issues in Maghaberry Prison, which was mentioned by Deputy O'Sullivan. As a former prisoner, I always advocate that a humane regime should exist when one is in prison and, more importantly from my perspective, when one is released from prison. There was a feel-good factor around the time of the ceasefires and the Good Friday Agreement, but it has long since dissipated. The situation with regard to ex-prisoners has not just remained the same; I believe it has got worse. People who were in jail almost 40 years ago are discovering new issues that are emerging all the time. They were blissfully unaware of them. We have spoken about the ex-prisoners, but family members are discriminated against as well. My wife cannot legitimately hold home insurance because I reside in the house with her and I have what is deemed to be a criminal conviction. Mr. Culbert spoke about the numbers. It is widely regarded that over 30,000 loyalists and republicans went through the prison system during the conflict. If that is extrapolated to include family members, it becomes clear that in a country the size of Northern Ireland, with a population of approximately 1.8 million, a considerable section of the community is being discriminated against. As Deputy Martin Ferris pointed out, ex-prisoners played a pivotal role in the peace process and continue to do so despite all of these impediments. I have to say I am not sure the Good Friday Agreement would get the support of loyalist members of the ex-prisoner community now, however, because of the situation they find themselves in.