THREE republican prisoners who have served almost 21 years each in Britain are to be released on parole next weekend.
Stephen Nordone, in Frankland Prison, Durham, as well as Noel Gibson and Sean Kinsella in Full Sutton, are obliged to stay in Britain for another three months after their release.
Senator Dan Nevill of Fine Gael said last night that the three had served their tariff in July 1995.
Welcoming the decision of the British Parole Board, he expressed disappointment that the other two prisoners serving life sentences, Paul Norney and Brendan Dowd, had been refused parole.
It was unacceptable that Norney was refused because of his failure to appear at the parole board hearing since he was on temporary transfer to Northern Ireland at the time and was unaware that he was required to attend the board in person.
"Brendan Dowd is one of five whose application for transfer to the Republic is being considered. On the completion of the procedure in the Department of Justice, I call on the Home Office to immediately transfer him and his four colleagues who have applied for this transfer," Mr Neville said.