Tony Gregory
Question:51 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice the timescale for the transfer of a prisoner (details supplied) to a prison in Ireland. [20686/96]
Written Answers. - Transfer of Prisoner.
Under the terms of the Convention, the two States involved in processing a transfer request are required to exchange information about the sentenced person. This information includes a copy of the judgment and the law on which it is based, sentence administration particulars and medical/social reports. These must be obtained from a number of different sources. Owing to the complexity of the documentation required, this processing of some cases can take some considerable time. For this reason and the fact that every case is considered on its own particular and individual merits, it is not open to me to give any exact timescale on the transfer to Ireland of any person.
I can say, however, that every effort is made to process each application as speedily as possible, assuming, of course, that the application is formally transmitted, the three way consent is forthcoming and the necessary documentation is available. I should also point out that experience to date — limited though it is — indicates that the time scale for completing a transfer can vary significantly from case to case. Consequently, I am not in a position to give the Deputy a definite timescale in respect of the case to which he refers but I assure him there will be no undue delay on my part.