Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Genuine concerns have repeatedly been raised about several aspects of this case by Deputies in the House and I have raised concerns very frankly with the British Government over the past two years, most recently when I met the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland last Monday, 11 February. The individual in question was sentenced in 1973 to two life terms and 20 years imprisonment to run concurrently on charges arising from the bombing of the Old Bailey. She was released in 1980 and has been detained since 13 May 2011 following the revocation of her life licence by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

I discussed the specific issue of her royal prerogative of mercy and the life licence at some length last year with the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He informed me that the royal prerogative of mercy no longer exists but that the issue had been considered by the parole commissioners in Northern Ireland who are tasked with making recommendations to the Secretary of State in relation to parole in such cases. The Parole Commissioners had concluded that the royal prerogative related to the determinate sentence of 20 years and not the two life sentences. Their ruling stated that “the life sentences were not in fact remitted by the Royal Prerogative of Mercy" and that the individual "remains subject to the life licence". The Secretary of State informed me that he had revoked that licence under the powers contained in article 9(1) of the Life Sentences (Northern Ireland) Order 2001.

I have received a full briefing on the assessment of an Oireachtas delegation that recently visited the individual in question. I understand the Parole Commissioners will consider the issue of her continued detention in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I assure the House that my officials will continue to monitor developments in the case very closely.

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