PATRICK Kelly, the IRA prisoner who is seriously ill with cancer, is to undergo further medical tests in the coming days.
His family have called on the British authorities to transfer him to Portlaoise so that they can be near him.
Kelly's partner and the mother of his child, Ms Angela Rice, visited him in Maghaberry prison last week: "He is in severe pain now, he isn't sleeping or eating and has lost a lot of weight. We just hope that Michael Howard can find it in his heart to transfer him to, Portlaoise so that we can be near him.
"He went for blood tests but they were not pleased with the results, and he has had to go for more tests over the past few days. The cancer is spreading.
"He is unable to have visitors. I could not even bring our daughter Sarah Louise to see him, he just isn't able for her," she said. Kelly has only seen his three year old daughter a few times. His family live near Portlaoise prison.
Legislation allowing for the transfer of overseas prisoners has been in place since last November. The chairman of the Dail Committee on Legislation and Security, Mr Charles Flanagan, and the Fianna Fail spokesman on prisoners, Mr Eamon O Cuiv, have backed Ms Rice's call to have him transferred.
They have asked the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, and the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, to impress upon the British authorities the humanitarian issue involved and the need to allow an immediate transfer from Northern Ireland to Portlaoise.
Kelly (43) is serving a 25 year sentence for conspiracy to cause an explosion and the attempted murder of a police officer. The Ballybrittas man was arrested in November 1992 and sentenced a year Inter.
Since his arrest, he has complained of poor health. Last year doctors said his condition was life threatening. At the time, Kelly was held in a special secure unit in Whitemoor prison where prisoners are confined to their cells for 23 hours a day.
In December he was transferred to Maghaberry Prison near Lisburn, Co Antrim, because of what the British Home Office termed his exceptional circumstances.