Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 7 October 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Engagement with Coiste na nIarchimí

Photo of Niall Ó DonnghaileNiall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will conclude my remarks because Mr. Molloy is looking to come in. This issue is perhaps something we could tease out in that follow-up engagement when we meet with Mr. Culbert in Belfast, if God spares us. I hope there is action because he rightly criticised the lack of action. This is a very pertinent issue. I again make the point that we are the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and this is very clearly an aspect of that agreement that is not being implemented even though it would help to change the lives of ex-prisoners and, increasingly, their families. This is a demographic that in terms of discrimination is not reducing as the years go on. It is actually increasing as more ex-prisoners' families have families. It is a demographic that is growing all the time.

We need to deal with this and I would certainly be keen that we tease out the issue Mr. Culbert raised about a more formal structure that would allow us to engage with the Government in this State to talk about support, signposting, advice and engagement with the ex-prisoner population. Coming off the back of our next meeting, I will say to our visitors and our Chairman that we can perhaps look at the actions of this committee. I appreciate we are limited in what we can do but there is an onus on us, as the implementation committee, to look at actions as we go forward. Arís eile, sin mo mhéid. Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as an ionchur.

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