Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of extradition warrant requests being considered by his Department; the persons involved; the length of time each request has been in existence; the subject matter of each request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31660/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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First, the Deputy's question refers to those requests being considered by my Department. I interpret this to mean extradition requests under Part 2 of the Extradition Act 1965, as amended, which have not as yet been certified by me under section 26(1)(a) of the Act and European arrest warrants that have not yet been presented to the High Court for endorsement.

There are 24 Part 2 requests and 47 European arrest warrants still being considered by my Department at present. For obvious reasons I cannot indicate the names of the persons involved in any of these requests.

The Deputy will appreciate that I, as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, can only exercise my powers under the 1965 Act when I am satisfied that a request has been made in accordance with Part 2 of that Act. I can assure the Deputy, however, that requests for extradition or surrender are dealt with in my Department without any undue delay.

The tables which follow set out the date on which each of the 71 requests still under consideration was received in my Department, as well as the principal offence identified in each.