§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Prime Minister whether she will make representations to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland concerning the recent decision by a member of the Irish judiciary to recommend that a man found guilty by an Irish court of a criminal offence should be released on social grounds as long as he emigrated to the United Kingdom with his family.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government would be greatly concerned if any authority in the Republic of Ireland made it a condition of the release of an Irish criminal that he came to this country, and I should certainly be prepared to make this clear to the Irish authorities. My hon. Friend is no doubt referring to press reports of the case of Mr. John Healy. I understand that the charges against him were adjourned and he was released, after the court had been told that the family wished to return to England and that the welfare authorities in the Republic had offered to pay its fares.