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Staunton accused Maginness sleeping through negotiations

19 August, 2003

Sinn Féin North Belfast Representative Cathy Staunton has accused Alban Maginness of 'either sleeping through the negotiations or not being part of the SDLP negotiation team'. Ms Staunton's comments come after Mr Maginness claimed that Sinn Féin did not raise the issue of ex-prisoners reintegration during the talks and in subsequent negotiations.

Ms Staunton said:

"This is not a new issue. Sinn Féin has raised this issue consistently as part of the conflict resolution process. If there had not been a political conflict there would not have been political prisoners. Sinn Féin has always demanded that barriers to ex-POWs integration back into their communities are removed.

"These records have been used to discriminate against former political prisoners across a range of areas and they should be removed.

"This issue was raised by Sinn Féin during the negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement and since and as such remains an issue to be resolved. If Alban Maginness believes otherwise then he was either sleeping through the negotiations or was not part of the SDLP negotiation team." ENDS

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