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

Last night we heard much profession of support and respect for the Good Friday Agreement. We heard how important it was and heard this Government is committed to ensuring its full implementation. That commitment is welcome but it must be backed up with action. This State is a co-signer and co-guarantor of the Agreement. It is amazing to think that this is the case and yet Ministers, in full knowledge of that reality and reminded repeatedly of it by people like Deputies Dessie Ellis, Aengus Ó Snodaigh and myself, can put forward a Bill such as this, which is completely against the spirit of the Agreement.

The Good Friday Agreement, signed by the Government of this State in 1998, tied this House to recognising what it stated was: "the importance of measures to facilitate the reintegration of prisoners into the community by providing support both prior to and after release, including assistance directed towards availing of employment opportunities, re-training and-or reskilling, and further education". The Agreement recognises the political context of the conflict that took place in Ireland from the 1960s until its signing, and recognises that actions carried out by IRA volunteers were politically motivated. That means that IRA prisoners were political prisoners and, following the ceasefire, that they were released from prison as part of a process of peace building. This outcome has been a huge success for society, North and South. We all agreed as much last night in our debate on the Sinn Féin motion.

The North and the South are now more inclusive societies. Although it is still a serious problem, sectarianism is on the back foot. The Orange state's oppression of the Nationalist people of the North is over. Problems persist and we work to deal with them but the advancements have been so big and so fast that young people can barely comprehend the past they see on television screens and read about in their books.

Unfortunately, advancement for many former political prisoners, North and South, has not been so dramatic. Although they are free from prison, in too many cases they struggle with unemployment and disadvantage. In spite of the conditions of the Good Friday Agreement, the Hillsborough Agreement and the St. Andrew Agreement, as well as the guidelines that have been published subsequently, political prisoners continue to suffer discrimination. Obstacles continue to be erected in the way of their search for employment or business opportunities - obstacles the Good Friday Agreement challenged the Governments involved to remove.

It is my opinion that former political prisoners were ignored in the drafting of this Bill. Yet Deputy Ellis has raised this issue many times with the Minister of State, has sent letters and tabled parliamentary questions, only to be ignored. The Minister of State knows what he is doing but he does not care. He stated that Sinn Féin had submitted no amendments on this issue even though the Seanad record shows he spoke to such amendments. Is his memory selective or poor, or is he just trying to score a cheap political point to distract from the fact that he does not give a damn, either about these people or about the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement that do not suit him?

I am a former political prisoner, having served 13 years. All my life I have worked for my community and I continue to work with local people for better services and to defend their rights. I have been elected as a representative time and again over many years and was again endorsed by the people of my community and my constituency in the last election in 2011. However, in the eyes of the Minister of State I cannot be a taxi driver and he has sought to make that into law in this Bill.

The St. Andrews Agreement, which progressed the peace process and brought about the renewal of power sharing, states: "The Government will work with business, trade unions and ex-prisoner groups to produce guidance for employers which will reduce barriers to employment and enhance re-integration of former prisoners". A working group, established under the agreement to focus on issues arising for prisoners, states: "Conflict-related convictions of "politically motivated" ex-prisoners, or their membership of any organisation, should not generally be taken into account [in accessing employment, facilities, goods or services] provided that the act to which the conviction relates, or the membership, predates the Agreement". It is quite clear. The Government must uphold its side of the bargain with the prisoners who took risks for peace. It must treat them fairly and allow them to live normal lives in this new dispensation, which they have played a major role in creating.

It is 15 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed. It is time that the commitment then given became part of all legislation dealing with this type of issues. Sinn Féin cannot accept the Bill as long as it discriminates against former political prisoners, in contravention of the principles set out in the Good Friday Agreement and its successors. I ask the House to support this amendment so that the Bill can pass without delay.

I was present and took part in the negotiations that relate to the prisoners' issues. Verbal commitments were given by senior civil servants and Ministers that prisoners who are part of an organisation that is on a verifiable and credible ceasefire would be treated fairly and that any obstacle standing in regard to their imprisonment for politically motivated actions would not come against them in respect of applying to work as taxi drivers, or in any form of employment.

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