Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 3

Written Answers. - Repatriation of Prisoners.

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

282 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice the position regarding the first seven requests for repatriation under the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners which have been referred by the British Home Office to the Irish Government for its consideration in December 1995; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6038/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

Five of the seven requests referred to by the Deputy have been returned to the Home Office with my formal consent for a transfer to take place in each case. In each of these five cases it remained for the UK Home Secretary to consent to the proposed transfer and for the individual prisoners to give their consent.

One of the five prisoners who is in an English prison was granted approval to transfer by the Home Secretary on 20 March. The prisoner has since been informed of the Home Secretary's decision and has given his agreement to transfer. The necessary practical arrangements are now being carried through for his transfer to this jurisdiction. A decision on the other four is awaited from the UK.

With regard to the remaining two requests for prisoner transfers from the UK to this State, legal problems and queries of a technical nature have been identified following consultation with the Chief State Solicitor's Office and the Attorney General. These difficulties have been conveyed to the Home Office and we now await their response. We will have to clarify these matters before these particular transfer requests can be processed.