A cross-border delegation of TDs, senators, an MEP and a Stormont Assembly member is flying to Colombia for a series of meetings with some of the country's senior politicians about the fate of the three Irishmen incarcerated since August 2001 accused of training Marxist rebels.
James Monaghan, Niall Connolly and Martin McCauley are currently awaiting the verdict of a trial in Colombia last year about the alleged training by them of Marxist FARC rebels.
The trio, who are currently being held in the high security La Modelo prison, are accused of teaching the rebels bomb-making techniques developed by the IRA during the Troubles in Northern Ireland .
Sinn Féin Assembly member Ms Caitriona Ruane, who has been campaigning for charges against the three men to be dropped, was leading a delegation from Dublin, which included party colleague Mr Sean Crowe TD., Independent Senator Ms Mary White and Fianna Fáil's Mr Niall Andrews.
She said: "We are due to meet Colombia's Vice President Francisco Santos and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms Carolina Barco.
"We will also be visiting the three men in jail and it will be our first encounter since they were moved to a different wing.
"Obviously we are still concerned about the length of time it is taking to receive a verdict on the trial and we are stressing that the judge must be able to make a decision which is free from political and military interference," Ms Ruane added.