Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I, too, commend the Minister on this eminently sensible Bill. With regard to the transfer of sentences, I sought a meeting with the Minister about three weeks ago to discuss the possibility of securing the release on humanitarian grounds of one of my constituents who was serving a sentence in prison in the United Kingdom. I was not aware of the position as regards the possibility of transfer. An official from the Department informed me that the Minister has no jurisdiction in the matter. Fortunately, however, the Department of Foreign Affairs made a helpful intervention.

The UK authorities were less than helpful in the case, which involved the transfer of a young lad whose father was dying. The person in question was eventually released to attend his father's burial but was deported rather than transferred. He had only six weeks left to serve of a 12 month sentence. I am aware that the Department of Foreign Affairs was concerned about the case. These types of issues should be raised with the British authorities, which I expected to be more helpful in cases involving humanitarian issues. It is appropriate to raise this matter during the debate on this Bill, which the Fine Gael Party fully supports. However, other jurisdictions should take humanitarian considerations, such as those I have mentioned, into account.