Vol. 407 No. 8
44 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Justice if it is his intention to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners, which was signed by his predecessor in 1986, in view of the fact that (1) it has now been established that only a relatively small number of prisoners would be affected and (2) these would be offset by some prisoners being transferred from Irish prisons to other countries.
As explained in reply to a similar question on 5 February 1991 (Official Report: Volume 404, No. 6, column 1484), it is estimated that there are approximately 1,000 Irish citizens in foreign jails. It is difficult, however, to estimate how many of the 1,000 would qualify for transfer to Irish prisons were the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons to be ratified by this country. It is estimated that about 98 per cent of our prison population are Irish citizens leaving only approximately 40 prisoners whose nationality status is unclear. It is apparent, therefore, that a small number of prisoners who would qualify for transfer from Irish prisons is most unlikely to offset to any appreciable extent the number of those who would qualify for transfer to our prisons and that there is a danger that accommodation difficulties could be caused for our prisons system by repatriation of prisoners.
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. This matter is still under active consideration and any decisions reached on it will be announced in the usual way.
