Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had recently with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28003/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers and my officials in the Belfast Secretariat monitor this and other cases as part of their ongoing work on prison issues generally in Northern Ireland. Senior officials from the Secretariat have twice visited the person in custody in Maghaberry prison, at his request. I have previously raised the case with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, during our meetings. On 3 May of this year, I wrote to her outlining the concerns which have been aired by Deputy Ó Cuiv and others. In my correspondence, I emphasised the negative impact that the detention was having on the individual’s family and on the local community. In her response to my letter, which I received on 28 May, Secretary of State Bradley acknowledged the issues raised and underlined that the responsibility for the continued detention or release of the individual concerned resides with the Northern Ireland Parole Commissioners, which is an independent body.

The Parole Commissioners carried out a full review of the case in June 2017 and made a decision to uphold the revocation of this person’s license. My understanding is that a further parole hearing on the continued detention is due shortly.

The Parole Commissioners are charged with taking into account the obligations on the State of the European Convention on Human Rights in making their recommendation. This includes assessing the risk to the public should the person remain at liberty. Those whose licence is revoked under this process are provided with a copy of the independent Parole Commissioners recommendation, which sets out the reasons the licence was revoked.

My officials will continue to actively monitor the case and remain in contact with the NIO on this issue.