Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 368: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress which has been made in processing the extradition warrant for a person (details supplied); the reason their extradition hearing in Britain has been adjourned five times; if there has been a problem with the paperwork of the European arrest warrant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34824/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, acting as the central authority for the European arrest warrant, I have only a limited function in relation to outgoing European arrest warrants which is to ensure their safe transmission to the receiving state and in some cases the transmission of additional information. In this particular case the UK authorities had requested the central authority to provide certain additional information. The central authority subsequently transmitted the requested information to the UK authorities.

The court also requested that the Irish authorities be asked to provide an indication of its approach to an issue concerning the sentence currently being served by the subject of the European arrest warrant for other offences committed in the UK. This request was not transmitted to the Irish authorities before the most recent court hearing concerning the European arrest warrant request. I am informed that it will be available to the court before the next hearing date in early December.

I have had inquiries made with the Garda Síochána in relation to this case. The Garda has informed me that they are in close contact with their counterparts in the UK and that no issue has been raised in respect of the validity of the European arrest warrant.