The whole thrust of the Government's efforts in relation to Ms Roisin McAliskey is to "ensure her release", the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, has said.
Speaking to journalists after meeting her mother, Mrs Bernadette McAliskey, the former Mid-Ulster MP, at Iveagh House in Dublin yesterday the Minister said he would raise the issue with the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, early next week.
Ms McAliskey, who is looking after her five-month old daughter in a London psychiatric hospital, is being held in Britain on foot of a German extradition warrant. The German authorities want to question her in connection with an IRA mortar attack on a British military base at Osnabruck in June 1996. She strongly denies involvement in the attack.
The magistrate dealing with her case has indicated that he cannot proceed with the extradition until Ms McAliskey is well enough to attend the court. Her mother says it could be months before she is able to appear in court.
After speaking to Mrs McAliskey and solicitor Ms Gareth Peirce, the Minister said: "We are deeply worried and concerned at the condition of Roisin McAliskey and her daughter - on humanitarian grounds alone."
Mr Andrews added that progress in the case was unnecessarily slow and "unfair to Roisin McAliskey and her child. I think the blame lies with the system, quite frankly. I think we will have to move the system on quickly, on humanitarian grounds."
