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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993

Vol. 425 No. 7

Written Answers. - Convention on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

183 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice when it is planned to ratify the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners which has already been signed by Ireland; the reasons for the delay in ratification; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Ireland as a signatory to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons is committed to achieving the humanitarian purposes of the Convention. Ratification will require legislation. Unless a reservation were entered, however, at the time of ratification serious difficulties for our prisons could be created in a situation in which there are an estimated 1,000 Irish citizens serving sentences abroad and only about 40 foreign prisoners serving their sentences in this country. I am advised that it would be in order to ratify the Convention subject to a reservation relating to the number of transfers that would be granted at any one time and I propose to proceed on that basis. The legislation required to ratify the Convention will be prepared as soon as other priorities in the Government's legislative programme permit.

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