§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when Patrick Kelly applied to be repatriated to prison in the Irish Republic; in which prison he was detained when his application for repatriation was accepted; and if he will make a statement; [28439]
(2) if he will list the names of those individuals and organisations who have submitted representations urging him to authorise the transfer to the Irish Republic of Patrick Kelly. [28440]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 7 May 1996]: Mr. Kelly first requested to be repatriated to the Republic of Ireland on 27 January 1994 at Parkhurst prison. 166W Consideration could not be given to this request until the Republic of Ireland ratified the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons. The convention came into force for the Republic of Ireland on 1 November 1995.
Thirty-one representations have been received from members of the clergy, Members of Parliament, Members of the Irish Parliament, prisoner support groups and members of the public.