John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations he has made to the US authorities regarding the arrest of Workers' Party president Mr. Sean Garland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33563/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As I advised the Deputy on 26 October, Irish officials at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast were asked at the time to seek clarification from the British authorities as to the basis for the arrest of Mr Sean Garland. It was indicated that Mr. Garland was provisionally arrested on foot of a request from the United States Government for his extradition. The request for extradition was made on the basis that Mr. Garland is the subject of an indictment filed on 19 May 2005 in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The United States authorities want Mr. Garland to stand trial on counterfeiting charges.

Mr. Garland was released on bail subject to the payment of surety and daily reporting to a PSNI station. Mr. Garland was also instructed to reside at an address in Northern Ireland pending the receipt of appropriate documentation from the US authorities to support the extradition request. I understand his bail conditions have since been varied and he has been able to leave Northern Ireland.

As I have stated, the United States authorities are aware of the interest of the Government in this case. However, as the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, said in the Dáil during the Adjournment debate on 20 October, the Government is not in a position to interfere in legal proceedings that are taking place in another jurisdiction. Such matters are for the courts alone to decide, and therefore further comment on the details of the case would be inappropriate at this time.