§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information his Department is collating about early releases of prisoners transferred to the Irish Republic; if it will be made public; and if he will make a statement on such releases to date. [6380]
§ Sir John WheelerResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Alan Shannon to Mr. Robert McCartney, dated 2 December 1996:
In the absence of the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your parliamentary question on the collation of information about early release of prisoners transferred to the Republic of Ireland.The Republic of Ireland ratified the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons in November 1995 making it possible for the first time to repatriate prisoners between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Since that date no prisoners, for whom the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has responsibility, have been repatriated to the Republic of Ireland.