Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It does not need help from us. We are concerned with proposing constructive solutions and working with Deputies to try to better the lives of Irish citizens. This Bill is an attempt to do so. Instead of focusing on what Government Members perceive to be drafting issues, why do they not sit down and work with us on its positive aspects and allow it to move on to Committee Stage where we could work together to strengthen it?

As the Ministers of State have criticised the Bill and its drafting, I should point out that it was drafted with the help of some of the legal experts provided and resourced by the Bills Office of the Oireachtas. It is not just us who the Ministers of State are criticising, but also the people working in the Bills Office who helped us to draft this legislation.

I wish to address the points made by the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, on criminal convictions. He stated that we were proposing to scrub them.

That is not what is being proposed in this legislation. We are aiming to apply equal rights to those who have previously served their sentences. A number of Deputies spoke about the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill, which has been in committee for the last 18 months.

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