Will the Minister agree that when an Irish national is brought before the courts in England for allegedly being involved in an offence which results in him or her being kept in these type of prison conditions, the judicial process should take place as rapidly as possible? It is unacceptable that someone should be held in this way even for six months — let alone a year — and I ask the Minister to consider making representations to the British authorities with a view to expediting her trial. He should also protest at the length of time it is taking to process this matter to the stage of a trial. I suggest that in this jurisdiction it would not normally be tolerated that someone was so held in prison for what appears to be a projected period of at least one year prior to their case coming to trial.

I will certainly take the matter up on that basis as it is a legitimate ground on which to make representations to the British authorities.