Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael)

I was not going to speak on this amendment but I must reply to some of the points made. Members are missing the point. The Minister pointed out that this does not disqualify anybody from getting a licence. That is the main issue. It gives the Minister the right to say whether he will issue a licence to these people. That is the point of this legislation. It is not about the Good Friday Agreement and politically motivated offences. The Minister makes the call. The legislation does not disqualify anybody from holding a licence.

Senator Cullinane said the Minister was very narrow-minded. The Minister is not narrow-minded. He has brought a good Bill to the House which we must pass before 4 December because of an EU directive. It is very unfair for Senator Cullinane to call the Minister narrow-minded. Does the Senator consider the murder of Garda Jerry McCabe and Ms Jean McConville political offences?