Prisoner transfer legislation approved by Cabinet

Transfer applications to Ireland from prisoners abroad have been on hold since the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s 2014 ruling against the Government in O’Farrell, Rafferty and McDonald.

The court ruled that the three men could not continue to be detained in Ireland following their transfer from the UK because of differences between the UK and Ireland’s sentencing regimes.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has now received Cabinet approval to draft the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (Amendment) Bill 2019, the Irish Examiner reports.