Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

I once again ask the Minister to consider our amendment. I know he referred to this some days ago and stated that while he was opposed to the amendment, he might talk to his Cabinet colleagues to find whether there was another way to deal with this in terms of making exceptions for people who come under the St. Andrews Agreement.

This is very important. There has been too much rowing back on issues concerning the St. Andrews Agreement, and the A5 is another example. The Government made a commitment to be part of that process of building the road in the north west. The wrong message is going out to people who have given an awful lot of commitment and had an awful lot of faith in the whole agreement. The agreement is working. People are doing their best but some are being penalised as a result of supporting this agreement. I once again plead with the Minister not to penalise these people who have supported the St. Andrews Agreement. It is important the message goes out that they will not be left aside and that there is a mechanism to look after them and not to discriminate against them in terms of jobs. We have seen this happen with adoptions here where people who were former prisoners, and who have come under the St. Andrews Agreement, were discriminated against. This would send out the wrong signal. I once again plead with the Minister to support the amendment.

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