Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go maith agat, a leas Chathaoirligh. Tá céad fáilte roimh an Aire. I move amendment No. 1:

In page 53, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following:"(2) Any conviction covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998 is excluded for consideration under this section.".

On Second Stage we said that we were generally in favour of the Bill but a couple of amendments have been tabled for Committee Stage.

The rationale is that the Bill allows for DNA samples to be taken from former offenders within the past ten years. This should mean that former prisoners are excluded but the Bill specifically states that sentences must have expired. As a number of prisoners have been released under licence, that is why we are seeking to amend the section. This is very important in the broader political context. I am sure the Minister is well aware of the concerns about full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and all the commitments made heretofore. We have been quite vocal on the fact that a number of political events have taken place in the North in recent months that have brought into question the full commitment to implementing the Good Friday Agreement and the position of some of the former combatants in the North and in the Troubles. It is important to copperfasten the position of the former combatants and the former prisoners in the legislation and, therefore, that is the reason we are pushing this amendment. I look forward to the Minister's response.