Three TDs and a senator from the Labour Party visited the republican prisoner, Patrick Kelly, who is seriously ill with cancer, in the North's Maghaberry Prison yesterday.
The deputies, Mr Joe Costello, Mr Tommy Broughan and Mr Declan Bree, and Senator Sean Maloney, urged the British Home Secretary to transfer Kelly to Portlaoise Prison, which is close to where his family lives.
They also urged the prison authorities in Maghaberry, Co Antrim, to allow an independent medical examination of the prisoner.
"Mr Kelly's medical condition has been a cause of great concern for many months now," said Mr Costello. "We were anxious to meet Mr Kelly to ascertain his present condition for ourselves and renew our call for his immediate transfer."
