Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
653. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of individuals that the State has sought for extradition from other jurisdictions; to identify those jurisdictions; and the number that were subsequently extradited for each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45152/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra654. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of individuals that were sought to be extradited from Ireland to other jurisdictions; to identify those jurisdictions; and the number that were subsequently extradited for each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [45153/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 653 and 654 together.
Extradition is an important element of the criminal justice system. It is the formal, legal process by which a country surrenders a person to another country for prosecution for a criminal offence or to serve a sentence which has been imposed following conviction.
From Ireland’s perspective, extradition is generally operated under two broad categories:
• extradition undertaken in accordance with the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003; and
• extradition undertaken in accordance with Part II of the Extradition Act 1965.
European Arrest Warrant Act 2003
The European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 came into operation on 01 January 2004. The 2003 Act has been amended on a number of occasions including, most recently in 2024. The Act gives effect to the 2002 Council Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States. The purpose of the Framework Decision is to simplify extradition procedures between Member States of the European Union.
Following Brexit, extradition between Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) is no longer processed under the European Arrest Warrant system and has, instead, been replaced by a similar extradition arrangement under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Warrants issued under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are referred to as Trade and Cooperation Agreement warrants (or “TCA warrants”).
On 30 March 2021, the 2003 Act was amended to use the term “relevant arrest warrant” in respect of:
• a European Arrest Warrant;
• an arrest warrant issued in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (i.e. by/to the UK); or
• an arrest warrant issued under a separate agreement of the European Union (EU) with Iceland and Norway.
Section 6(6) of the 2003 Act provides that I, in my capacity as Central Authority for the European Arrest Warrant, shall:
“in each year, prepare a report on the operation, in the preceding year, of Part 2, and shall cause copies of each such report to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is so prepared”.
Part 2 of the 2003 Act relates to European Arrest Warrants received in the State as well as European Arrest Warrants issued by the State. In the interests of transparency and completeness, such reports also include statistics related to Trade and Cooperation Agreement warrants and to arrest warrants issued under the agreement of the EU with Iceland and Norway. The annual reports for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively, are attached.
The Deputy may wish to note that I intend to bring the annual report for 2025 to Cabinet shortly to signal my intention to lay the report before the Houses of the Oireachtas; my officials will send a copy of the annual report 2025 to the Deputy shortly thereafter. I am advised that the trends to date for 2026 are largely similar to previous years.
Extradition Act 1965
Extradition between Ireland and countries other than EU Member States, the UK, Iceland and Norway, is undertaken in accordance with the Extradition Act 1965. The details requested by the Deputy could not be compiled in the time available; however, the relevant information will be transmitted to the Deputy by my officials shortly.
