"According to British home office figures, there are around 700 Irish prisoners in England and Wales. Most of these are men but about 50 of them are women, " said ICPO spokeswoman Grainne Prior.

"In addition to these 700 prisoners, there are over 300 more prisoners in another 20 countries all over the world."

Most of these cases are not highlighted publicly, with few exceptions, such as Roisin Zoe Savage and the case of Monaghan man Colin Martin.

Last year Martin published his book, Welcome to Hell: One man's "ght for life inside the Bangkok Hilton, chronicling his struggle to survive in one of the world's most dangerous prisons.

After being conned out of money, he tracked down the man who was responsible and, after being drawn into a fight, he accidentally stabbed and killed the man's bodyguard.

Martin was arrested, brutally tortured by the Thai tourist police, denied a fair trial, convicted of murder and thrown into prison . . . where he remained for eight years.

Speaking to the Sunday Tribune this weekend about the plight of Irish prisoners, the ICPO's Prior said, "Being in a foreign prison can be a terrifying experience, especially in a country where they do not speak English. It can be a horrendous experience for the prisoner and their family at home."

Based in Maynooth, Co Kildare, the ICPO is a voluntary agency that provides assistance to Irish prisoners overseas and to their families in Ireland.