Countries outside the European Union may make a request through diplomatic channels for extradition to seek the return of a person who is wanted in one of those countries in relation to a crime.
The request may seek the return of the person to:
- stand trial
- face sentencing after conviction
- serve a sentence already handed down by a court in that country.
The Legislation
Provisions in relation to extradition are contained in:
- Part II of the Extradition Act 1965
- the Extradition (European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism) Act 1987
- the Extradition (Amendment) Act 1994
- the Extradition (European Union Conventions) Act 2001
- the European Arrest Warrant (Application to Third Countries and Amendment) and Extradition (Amendment) Act 2012
(These Acts can be viewed on the Irish Statute Book website)
The Acts make provision for obligations under the European Convention on Extradition 1957
Ireland currently has bilateral extradition treaties with Australia, United States of America and Hong Kong.
Further details
For further details on extradition procedures, see Extradition – A Guide to Procedures in Ireland (PDF)