A Sinn Fein delegation has met the North's Security Minister, Mr Adam Ingram, at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, to discuss the early release of paramilitary prisoners and other prison issues. Ms Dodie McGuinness, a member of Sinn Fein's talks team, who led the republican delegation in talks which lasted over an hour, said yesterday evening that the meeting had been open and cordial, although Mr Ingram had given no commitments on early releases.
Sinn Fein is to receive a formal written response from the minister, after which further meetings are planned.
Ms McGuinness said Sinn Fein's first meeting with Mr Ingram had been frank and useful. The delegation sought the early release of paramilitary prisoners, and it also dealt with "short-term measures", such as repatriation of republican prisoners from Britain, better conditions for women prisoners, and other issues.
She said so far no commitment had been given about releases. "They dealt with the issue of release in the context that it would be part of the evolving peace process; that it would be part of the talks. That is where it is at at this present moment in time," she said.
Asked if she was confident the British government would allow early releases, she referred to comments by the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, when she said the prisoners issue must be addressed in a sensitive manner. Ms McGuinness made it clear to the minister that prisoners were not to be used as part of a bargaining process, and she believed that point had been accepted - "although that is not to say people won't use the prisoners as a bargaining tool".
Ms McGuinness also raised the matter of Anthony Kelly, the Maze escaper who was arrested in Donegal, and whose extradition to Northern Ireland is being sought. She told Mr Ingram that people in Derry were angry and upset that in the "middle of the peace process he was arrested after he had been living very openly in the 26 counties since 1983".
Mr Michael Browne, the Sinn Fein spokesman on prisoners, said that the issue must be tackled constructively and comprehensively. "It is our view, and one which is backed by international experience, that the current peace process can be consolidated and advanced by movement towards the release of political prisoners," he said.
Mr Ingram made no comment on the meeting.
