§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, following the appearance of Mr. Gee, who escaped from Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin Road, Belfast on 10 June at a Provisional Sinn Fein Wolfe Tone commemoration platform at Bodenstown in the Irish Republic on 21 June, what steps he is now taking, consequent upon his reply to the right hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Concannon) on 11 June, Official Report, column 556, that he believed that the authorities in the Irish Republic would assist in their return to Northern Ireland to hear judgment.
Mr. Humphrey AtkinI understand that Paul Patrick Magee one of the prisoners who escaped from Belfast Prison on 10 June, appeared at a rally at Bodenstown, County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland on 21 June. All necessary legal steps have been taken to secure the arrests of the escapers. I would also remind the hon. Gentleman that to escape from lawful custody in Northern Ireland following charging or conviction for certain specified offences, including those for which seven of the escapers had been convicted and the other had been charged, is an offence under the Republic of Ireland's Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act 1976.