Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends to seek the extradition of any person or persons in connection with the collapse of the banking system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10870/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The European Arrest Warrant Act 2003, which became law on 1 January 2004, gives effect to the European Union Council Framework Decision of 13 June 2002 on the European Arrest Warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States. It puts in place simplified procedures for the surrender of persons between the Member States of the EU. Under the provisions of the Act, a court may, upon application made by or on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, issue a European Arrest Warrant in respect of a person where it is satisfied, inter alia, that a domestic warrant has been issued for the arrest of that person but has not been executed and the person may not be in the State. As the Deputy will appreciate, both the courts and the DPP are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as Minister for Justice and Equality, I have no function in the making of such an application.

In relation to a person outside the EU, a request for extradition can only arise where the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided that an individual should be prosecuted in the first instance. The decision to seek the extradition of a person charged with a criminal offence in this State rests with the Director.