A CALL for the transfer to a jail in Ireland of an IRA prisoner suffering from cancer would be considered "on its merits", the British Prime Minister said yesterday.
Mr Major said at Commons question time that such requests needed the consent of the British and Irish governments.
A Labour Party MP, Mr Max Madden had asked Mr Major to intervene personally to expedite the transfer of Irish prisoners, including IRA bomber Patrick Kelly, to jails in the Republic in view of "specific assurances" from the Irish Government that sentences would be served out.
Kelly (43) from Co Laois, to be transferred to be near his family. He became ill while serving his sentence in Full Sutton prison, Yorkshire, and was transferred to Maghaberry prison in the North before Christmas.
He was sentenced to 25 years in jail in October 1993 after being caught driving a huge lorry bomb into London.
Mr Major told Mr Madden: "The Home Secretary is considering a number of requests for repatriation, including the particular case mentioned by you.
"Each of those requests must be considered on their merits." They need to be subject to the consent of both jurisdictions and the prisoner concerned."