I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 80 together.
The information sought by the Deputies is as follows. Ireland's extradition arrangements with Britain and Northern Ireland are governed by the simplified extradition procedures set out in Part III of the Extradition Act, 1965, while Ireland's extradition arrangements with countries other than Britain and Northern Ireland are governed by Part II of the Extradition Act, 1965.
In addition, Ireland is a party to the 1957 European Convention on Extradition and to a number of international conventions mainly in the aviation field which provide for extradition for the specific offences comprehended by those conventions. If the Deputies require further information in relation to them, I shall be happy to supply it.
Apart from our arrangements with Britain and Northern Ireland under Part III, an order was made applying Part II of the 1965 Extradition Act to the following countries party to the European Extradition Convention: Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.
With regard to countries not party to the European Convention, orders have also been made applying Part II of the 1965 Act to the USA and Australia following the negotiation of bilateral extradition treaties with those countries.
The Minister recently approved an amended draft of an extradition treaty with Canada which has been submitted to the Canadian authorities. The Minister has also conveyed his approval of the opening of negotiations with the Republic of
South Africa on a draft extradition treaty between our two countries.
A new draft order to apply Part II of the 1965 Act to a number of additional European countries, which have become parties to the 1957 European Convention, is being prepared at present by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The countries concerned are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Two new EU conventions were concluded recently in order to facilitate and improve, as between member states of the European Union, the extradition arrangements provided for in the 1957 European Convention on Extradition. The first of these, the EU Convention on Simplified Extradition Procedures, was formally adopted by all member states on 10 March 1995. This convention deals with the procedure to be applied where a person consents to extradition. The second convention, the EU convention relating to extradition, was formally adopted by all member states on 27 September 1996. This convention improves and simplifies extradition arrangements between member states. Work on the preparation of the necessary legislation to enable Ireland to ratify these two conventions has begun in the Department. The Minister will bring forward his proposals as part of his extensive legislative programme as quickly as possible.