It is estimated that there are approximately 1,000 Irish citizens in foreign jails. Although it is unlikely that anything like this number would actually apply for transfers to Irish prisons, were the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons to be ratified by this country, the consequences of even a relatively small increase in the level of the prison population here could be serious, given that there is already pressure on our existing prison accommodation. This is among the issues which must be addressed in considering the practical and legislative measures which may be necessary to enable ratification of the convention to take place. As I stated in reply to a question on 27 June 1990, the matter is under consideration in my Department.