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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Paramilitary past no bar to work | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Paramilitary convictions should not be a hindrance when it comes to getting a job in NI, according to new guidelines. | |
| The government gave a commitment to work with businesses, trade unions and ex-prisoner groups during the St Andrews talks in October 2006. | The government gave a commitment to work with businesses, trade unions and ex-prisoner groups during the St Andrews talks in October 2006. |
| Almost 30,000 people have spent time in prison as a result of the Troubles. | Almost 30,000 people have spent time in prison as a result of the Troubles. |
| The move is supported by trade unions and the business community, however, unionists criticised the move as an "attempt to whitewash the past". | |
| The government wants employers in both the public and private sectors to adopt the voluntary guidelines. | |
| These state that any offence committed before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 should not be taken into account unless it's materially relevant to the employment being sought. | |
| DUP assembly member Jim Wells said he was sickened by the move. | |
| He accused the government of "slipping them out" ahead of the return of devolution on Tuesday. | He accused the government of "slipping them out" ahead of the return of devolution on Tuesday. |
| While we must all embrace a peaceful future, the solution cannot be to simply pretend that the heinous acts carried out by many terrorists are null and void. David BurnsideUlster Unionist | |
| "Giving a clean record as far as employment is concerned to people who have committed dastardly deeds... it's an Alice in Wonderland situation and I'm totally against it," he said. | "Giving a clean record as far as employment is concerned to people who have committed dastardly deeds... it's an Alice in Wonderland situation and I'm totally against it," he said. |
| UUP assembly member David Burnside also criticised the guidelines as a "cynical government attempt to whitewash the past". | |
| "While we must all embrace a peaceful future, the solution cannot be to simply pretend that the heinous acts carried out by many terrorists are null and void. It is insulting to victims and is a crass move. | |
| "Government know that this move would not command a majority of support in the Assembly and have decided to rush it through ahead of the devolution deadline." | |
| Voluntary measure | |
| However, a republican ex-prisoners group has welcomed the move. | |
| Raymond McCartney, the chairman of Coiste nIarchimi, said it was a positive step. | |
| "We are in a process of resolving the conflict. Those that were part of the conflict want to be part of the new political dispensation," he said. | |
| "They want to contribute to the communities in which they live and they don't want needless barriers to employment, travel, adoption or insurance to impede their lives." | |
| The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister said the guidance would be reviewed in 18 months. | |
| The guidance is the product of extensive work between government departments, representatives of the Confederation of British Industry in Northern Ireland, the Irish Congress of Trades Unions and ex-prisoner groups. |