THE TANAISTE, Mr Spring said last night that an appeal had been lodged with the House of Lords to secure the release of Ms Roisin McAliskey. He was informed of the move by Ms McAliskey's solicitor, Ms Gareth Peirce.
Ms McAliskey, the daughter of Ms Bernadette McAliskey, the former mid Ulster MP at Westminster, is in London's Holloway jail pending extradition proceedings by Germany connection with last June's IRA bomb attack on a British army base in Osnabruck. Ms McAliskey is almost seven months pregnant.
Last week Mr Spring told Britain's ambassador in Dublin, Ms Veronica Sutherland, of the Government's concern over the conditions in which Ms McAliskey is being held. Last night he said Ms Peirce hand informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the House of Lords appeal was based on the grounds that the German extradition request contravened the European Convention on Extradition.
The appeal is likely to be heard ahead of the extradition case, scheduled for March 12th.
Mr Spring also reported that he was hopeful of "some relaxation" in relation to family visits for Ms McAliskey and said the Irish embassy in London was continuing to monitor the position closely.