THERE are conflicting claims about the transfer of Irish prisoners from British jails. Senior British government sources last night said Dublin was blocking the transfer of more than 20 republican prisoners from British jails to Ireland, under the European Convention on the Transfer of Prisoners.
It is understood the British Home Office has completed the paperwork to facilitate the transfer and London is awaiting a response from the Irish authorities.
But sources in the Department of Justice in Dublin last night said no cases are being delayed and paperwork is being awaited in some instances".
The sources indicated that some cases "may be more advanced than others" but they stressed that none was delayed or blocked in any way.
Meanwhile, sources representing republican prisoners also cast doubt on the British claims, saying that given the Home Office's hardline attitude, it was hard to believe its views would have changed so radically and so rapidly.
Prisoners' families have recently complained about the time needed to process the relevant documentation and they have held the Home Office responsible for the delays.
Under the transfer of prisoners legislation, both governments must agree that the individual in mate should be returned to Ireland to complete the term to which he or she was sentenced in Britain. When all the paperwork is received by the Irish authorities, the High Court issues a warrant for the transfer of the prisoner.
British sources last night insisted that the Home Secretary, Mr Michael Howard, was not the cause of the delay in effecting the transfers, which would be considered important to revive the Northern Ireland peace process.
In recent proposals to the British government, Mr John Hume and Mr Gerry Adams said movement on prisoner transfers would be regarded as an important confidence building measure.