MS ROISIN McAliskey will be able to keep her baby in prison while she awaits extradition proceedings for the IRA bombing of a British army base in Germany, the British Prison Service announced yesterday.
Following a two hour meeting of social workers, child care experts and prison officials, the Director of Operations, Mr Alan "Walker, agreed that Ms McAliskey, who is seven months pregnant, should be given a place in Holloway Prison's mother and baby unit. She had been denied, access to the centre because of her Category A security status.
He said: "I have agreed with the views of the expert panel that it would be in the child's best interests for them both to be located in the mother and baby unit. While prison can never be an ideal place for a baby, the unit offers a reasonably relaxed regime geared to helping the emotional, physical and all round development of the child as well as teaching parenting skills to new mothers.
Although Ms McAliskey's mother, Mrs Bernadette McAliskey, the former Mid Ulster MP and civil rights campaigner, described the decision as a "relief", she said she was "very angry" that the media had been informed before her daughter.
"Roisin has just rung me, to say nobody has told her what is happening yet it has been on the news, she added. "The whole world knows what is happening to her child before she does. She was questioned for over an hour by this panel, 12 people she doesn't know and it really wound her up. And nobody has had the decency to tell her she can keep her child. I hope she will now be moved to the pregnancy unit and be allowed into the garden to exercise."
Medical staff at Holloway Prison believe Ms McAliskey's baby will be a month premature because of the difficulties she has suffered during the pregnancy. Her mother said the family had been told by the Prison Service that she will be able to attend the birth along with the child's father, Mr Sean McCotter, but they will be informed that her daughter has gone into labour only after Ms McAliskey has been transferred to a London hospital.
"At least everything is in writing now, so they can't go back on it," she added.
In Holloway Prison's mother and baby unit the women are allowed to walk freely around the centre, and their cells remain unlocked during the night. According to the Prison Service, the babies can also spend time outside the jail with their fathers. "The welfare of the child is our primary consideration," a spokesman said.
Announcing the decision, the Prison Service said Ms McAliskey will now be able to join the ante natal classes but stressed she had already been receiving full medical care.
"Ms McAliskey continues to receive full ante natal care which includes daily visits from the prison doctor and weekly check ups with the gynaecologist, an obstetrician and a midwife. She is only locked in her cell at meal times and during the night and is able to associate with other prisoners. Although Ms McAliskey has the opportunity to exercise, this has so far been declined," the Prison Service stated.
Today Ms McAliskey's legal team will make another application for bail at the High Court in London. On Tuesday Mr Justice Mitchell adjourned the hearing to hear evidence about her prison conditions and poor health.
Welcoming the decision to allow Ms McAliskey to keep her baby with her, the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said he had raised the Government's humanitarian concerns about her treatment at Wednesday's Anglo Irish Conference meeting.
"I welcome the decision that she will be allowed to keep the baby and will be moved to the mother and baby unit at Holloway Prison", he said.
Mr Spring said he also welcomed the assurances given by the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick. Mayhew, that Ms McAliskey, would not be restrained on her journey to hospital for the birth.
Pressure should be maintained on the British and German authorities to release Ms McAliskey on bail, despite yesterday's decision to allow her keep her baby in jail after birth, the Green Party MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, said last night.