THE former IRA prisoner, Patrick Kelly, who was the subject of a long campaign seeking his transfer from imprisonment in England to a jail in Ireland, has died from skin cancer.
Mr Kelly (49), from Ballybrittas, Co Laois, had been seriously ill for the past two years and was released from Portlaoise Prison last autumn on compassionate grounds following, a campaign led by Mr Eamon O Cuiv, the Fianna Fail TD.
Mr Kelly had suffered from malignant melanoma and was treated Bat the Mater Hospital in Dublin before returning home last week.
His treatment by the English prison authorities was cited by republicans as an issue of bad faith on the part of the British government before the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire,
However, Mr O Cuiv, the Fianna Fail spokesman on prison affairs, last night paid tribute to "the British ambassador to Ireland, Ms Veronica Sutherland, for being receptive to the all party delegation which made representations on Mr Kelly's behalf last year.
Representations were also made to the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, to have him transferred. Mr O Cuiv said that she had taken an "enlightened and compassionate attitude" in the matter.
The campaign to have him moved to Portlaoise after his transfer to Maghaberry Prison, Co Antrim, in December, 1995, was taken up by a number of public representatives, including US congressmen, the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Mary Harney.
He began serving a 25 year sentence in 1993 for conspiracy to cause an explosion and the attempted murder of a police officer.
In, a statement, the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, expressed behalf of land". He added: "His death is an indictment of British penal policy and of John Major's tenure as prime minister. I call on people to mark his death by holding peaceful and dignified black flag demonstrations."
The Sinn Fein spokesperson on prisons, Mr Michael Browne, said that Mr Kelly had initially suffered from a curable form of cancer, but the former British Home Secretary, Mr Michael Howard, had repeatedly refused to allow him proper medical attention.
He is survived by his partner, Ms Angela Rice, and a daughter.