PART 6

Other Forms of Assistance

Chapter 1

Service of documents

80 .— (1) A document may be issued by a court in the State for the purposes of or in connection with criminal proceedings notwithstanding that the person on whom it is to be served is in another state.

(2) Where the document is not in the official language or one of the official languages of that state, the person at whose request it was issued shall provide the court with a translation of the document, or the material parts of it, into that language or one of those languages, unless subsection (3) applies.

(3) Where such a person believes that the person on whom it is to be served does not understand Irish, English or another language which is the official language or one of the official languages of that state, he or she shall—

(a) inform the court of that belief, and

(b) provide it with a translation of the document, or of the material parts of it, into a language that he or she believes that the person understands.

(4) The document—

(a) if it requires the recipient to appear in proceedings, shall not refer to a penalty for non-appearance, and

(b) shall be accompanied by—

(i) a notice stating that—

(I) no measure of restraint or punishment may be enforced directly by the court in the territory of the other state, and

(II) the person to be served may obtain information regarding his or her rights or obligations concerning the document from the court or a specified person or authority,

(ii) a notice giving any other information required to be given by rules of court, and

(iii) where necessary, a translation of the document, or of the material parts of it, into an appropriate language.

(5) Subject to subsection (6), non-compliance by a person with a requirement specified in the document is not contempt of court or a ground for issuing a warrant to compel the person to attend the proceedings concerned.

(6) Subsection (5) does not apply if the document is subsequently served on the person in the State.

(7) Subject to subsection (9), a person who is in the State in compliance with a requirement in the document to appear as a defendant in criminal proceedings may not be proceeded against, sentenced, detained or otherwise restricted in his or her personal freedom in respect of any offence committed before arriving in the State other than an offence or offences specified in the document.

(8) Subject to subsection (9), a person who is in the State in compliance with a requirement in the document to appear as a witness in criminal proceedings may not be proceeded against, sentenced, detained or otherwise restricted in his or her personal freedom in respect of any offence committed before arriving in the State.

(9) The immunity provided for in subsections (7) and (8) ceases when—

(a) a period of 15 days has elapsed from the date when the person’s presence in the State is no longer required by the court concerned and the person, having had an opportunity to leave the State during that period, has not done so, or

(b) the person, having left the State during that period, returns to it.

81 .— (1) A document referred to in section 80 may be served in a designated state by post.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), it may be transmitted to a designated state with a request for service otherwise than by post in accordance with the relevant international instrument.

(3) Where the person to be served is in a member state, service otherwise than by post may be requested only if—

(a) the address of the person is unknown or uncertain,

(b) it has not been possible to serve the document by post, or

(c) the person at whose request the document was issued has good reason for believing that service by post would not be effective or is inappropriate.

(4) Such a document may be served in a state other than a designated state in accordance with arrangements made by the Minister.

82 .— (1) This section applies to a request for service on a person in the State of—

(a) a document requiring the person to appear as a defendant or attend as a witness in criminal proceedings in a designated state, and

(b) any other document issued by a court or authority (including a prosecuting authority) in that state in criminal proceedings, including a document relating to the enforcement of a sentence or a preventive measure, the imposition of a fine or the payment of costs of proceedings.

(2) Unless the request is for personal service, the Minister may cause the document, together with the notice referred to in subsection (11), to be served by post on the person concerned.

(3) Where the request is for personal service, the document, if not in Irish or English, shall be accompanied—

(a) by a translation of the document, or of the material parts of it, into either of those languages, and

(b) if it is known that the person understands only another language or languages and the document is not in that language or one of those languages, by such a translation into that other language or one of those other languages.

(4) Where the request is for personal service, the Minister shall, subject to subsection (5), direct the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána to cause the document to be served personally on the person concerned.

(5) Subsection (4) does not apply to a request for personal service from a member state unless—

(a) the address of the person concerned is unknown or uncertain,

(b) under the law of the member state proof of service on the person is required, other than proof that can be obtained by post,

(c) it has not been possible to serve the document by post, or

(d) the applicant for the issue of the document or the issuing authority has good reason for believing that service by post would not be effective or is inappropriate.

(6) The Commissioner shall—

(a) cause the document, together with the notice referred to in subsection (11), to be served by a member of the Garda Síochána in accordance with the request and send proof of the service to the Minister for transmission to the requesting authority concerned, or

(b) if it is not possible to effect service, cause the Minister to be notified accordingly, stating the reason for the non-service.

(7) A person served under this section with a document is not under any obligation under the law of the State to comply with any requirement in it.

(8) A document requiring a person to appear as a defendant in criminal proceedings in a designated state may not be served under this section unless an assurance is given by the requesting authority concerned that, if the person so appears, he or she will not, subject to subsection (10), be proceeded against, sentenced, detained or otherwise restricted in his or her personal freedom in that state in respect of any conduct taking place before his or her departure from the State, other than conduct constituting the offence or offences specified in the document.

(9) A document requiring a person to attend as a witness in criminal proceedings in a designated state may not be served under this section unless an assurance is given by the requesting authority concerned that, if the person so attends, he or she will not, subject to subsection (10), be proceeded against, sentenced, detained or otherwise restricted in his or her personal freedom in that state in respect of any offence committed before his or her departure from the State.

(10) The immunity provided for in subsections (8) and (9) ceases when—

(a) a period of at least 15 days has elapsed from the date when the person’s presence in the designated state is no longer required by the judicial authorities concerned and the person, having had an opportunity to leave the designated state during that period, has not done so, or

(b) the person, having left the state during that period, returns to it.

(11) The notice to accompany a document served under this section shall—

(a) state the content of subsection (7), (8) or (9), as appropriate, and subsection (10),

(b) indicate that the person on whom the document is served may wish to seek advice as to the possible consequences of failure to comply with it under the law of the state where it was issued, and

(c) indicate that under that law the person may not, as a defendant or witness, have the same rights and privileges as he or she would have in that capacity in criminal proceedings in the State.

(12) If there is reason to believe that the person understands only a language or languages other than Irish or English, the notice shall be translated into that other language or one of those other languages.