PART 6
OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE
Chapter 3
Restitution
CHAPTER 3
Restitution
Restitution of stolen property from designated state.
84. — (1) An order under paragraph (i) of section 56 (orders for restitution) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 may be made by the court by or before which a person is convicted in relation to property in a designated state.
(2) The return of property to its owner in accordance with such an order does not prejudice the rights of any bona fide third parties in relation to it.
(3) The Central Authority, on the application of the person entitled under the order to recover the property, shall send a copy of the order to the person or body in the designated state appearing to it to have the function of dealing with a request for the restitution of the property concerned.
(4) The request shall be accompanied by a document provided by the applicant containing—
(a) a statement that—
(i) a specified person obtained the property concerned by committing an offence under the law of the State, and
(ii) the return of the property to its owner does not prejudice the rights of any bona fide third parties in relation to it,
and
(b) the following information:
(i) a description of the property;
(ii) its location;
(iii) the name and address of its owner; and
(iv) any other information likely to facilitate compliance with the request.
PART 6
OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE
Chapter 3
Restitution
Request to State for restitution of stolen property.
85. — (1) This section applies to a request for property obtained by criminal means to be placed at the disposal of the requesting authority with a view to the return of the property to its owner.
(2) The request shall be in writing and shall include or be accompanied by—
(a) a statement that—
(i) a specified person has obtained the property by committing an offence under the law of the requesting state, and
(ii) the return of the property to its owner does not prejudice the rights of any bona fide third parties in relation to it,
and
(b) the following information:
(i) a description of the property;
(ii) its location;
(iii) the name and address of its owner; and
(iv) any other information likely to facilitate compliance with the request.
PART 6
OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE
Chapter 4
Controlled deliveries
Controlled deliv- ery in State.
90. — (1) This section applies to a request to the Competent Authority in the State from a competent authority in a designated state to permit—
(a) a controlled delivery to be made in the State, and
(b) specified persons, or persons of a specified description, from the designated state to participate in the operations connected with the controlled delivery.
(2) The request shall include particulars of the offence with which the controlled delivery is concerned.
(3) The Competent Authority in the State may grant the request if satisfied that—
(a) the controlled delivery is being made for the purposes of an investigation into an offence, or
(b) there are reasonable grounds for believing that it is in the public interest, having regard to the benefit likely to accrue to the investigation, to permit the delivery to take place.
(4) The operations related to a controlled delivery shall, if the delivery is concerned with the illegal importation of controlled drugs, be regulated in accordance with—
(a) the Memorandum of Understanding of 12 January 1996 concerning the rela- tionship between the Customs and Excise Service of the Revenue Commission- ers and the Garda Síochána with respect to Drugs Law Enforcement and agreed between the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána and the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, and
(b) the Operational Protocol for co-operation between An Garda Síochána, the Customs and Excise and the Naval Service in relation to Drugs Law Enforce- ment,
including any modifications or extensions of the Memorandum or Protocol for the time being in force.
(5) If the delivery is concerned with a revenue offence (other than an offence constituted by the illegal importation of controlled drugs), the operations shall be under the direction and control of the officers of customs and excise assigned to the delivery.
(6) If the delivery is concerned with any other offence, the operations shall be under the direction and control of the members of the Garda Síochána so assigned.
(7) A member of the Garda Síochána or officer of customs and excise participating in operations connected with a controlled delivery in the State may, at the request of a person from a designated state so participating, take such action as may be open to the member or officer in furtherance of the operations.
(8) Copies of the Memorandum of Understanding and Operational Protocol have been placed in the Oireachtas Library.
1. The Court may transmit a request for the arrest and surrender of a person, together with the material supporting the request outlined in article 91, to any State on the territory of which that person may be found and shall request the cooperation of that State in the arrest and surrender of such a person. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and the procedure under their national law, comply with requests for arrest and surrender.
1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:
(a) The identification and whereabouts of persons or the location of items;
(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;
(c) The questioning of any person being investigated or prosecuted;
(d) The service of documents, including judicial documents;
(e) Facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons as witnesses or experts before the Court;
(f) The temporary transfer of persons as provided in paragraph 7;
(g) The examination of places or sites, including the exhumation and examination of grave sites;
(h) The execution of searches and seizures;
(i) The provision of records and documents, including official records and documents;
(j) The protection of victims and witnesses and the preservation of evidence;
(k) The identification, tracing and freezing or seizure of proceeds, property and assets and instrumentalities of crimes for the purpose of eventual forfeiture, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties; and
(l) Any other type of assistance which is not prohibited by the law of the requested State, with a view to facilitating the investigation and prosecution of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court.
2. The Court shall have the authority to provide an assurance to a witness or an expert appearing before the Court that he or she will not be prosecuted, detained or subjected to any restriction of personal freedom by the Court in respect of any act or omission that preceded the departure of that person from the requested State.
3. Where execution of a particular measure of assistance detailed in a request presented under paragraph 1, is prohibited in the requested State on the basis of an existing fundamental legal principle of general application, the requested State shall promptly consult with the Court to try to resolve the matter. In the consultations, consideration should be given to whether the assistance can be rendered in another manner or subject to conditions. If after consultations the matter cannot be resolved, the Court shall modify the request as necessary.
4. In accordance with article 72, a State Party may deny a request for assistance, in whole or in part, only if the request concerns the production of any documents or disclosure of evidence which relates to its national security.
5. Before denying a request for assistance under paragraph 1 (l), the requested State shall consider whether the assistance can be provided subject to specified conditions, or whether the assistance can be provided at a later date or in an alternative manner, provided that if the Court or the Prosecutor accepts the assistance subject to conditions, the Court or the Prosecutor shall abide by them.
6. If a request for assistance is denied, the requested State Party shall promptly inform the Court or the Prosecutor of the reasons for such denial.
(a) The Court may request the temporary transfer of a person in custody for purposes of identification or for obtaining testimony or other assistance. The person may be transferred if the following conditions are fulfilled:
(i) The person freely gives his or her informed consent to the transfer; and
(ii) The requested State agrees to the transfer, subject to such conditions as that State and the Court may agree.
(b) The person being transferred shall remain in custody. When the purposes of the transfer have been fulfilled, the Court shall return the person without delay to the requested State.
(a) The Court shall ensure the confidentiality of documents and information, except as required for the investigation and proceedings described in the request.
(b) The requested State may, when necessary, transmit documents or information to the Prosecutor on a confidential basis. The Prosecutor may then use them solely for the purpose of generating new evidence.
(c) The requested State may, on its own motion or at the request of the Prosecutor, subsequently consent to the disclosure of such documents or information. They may then be used as evidence pursuant to the provisions of Parts 5 and 6 and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
(i) In the event that a State Party receives competing requests, other than for surrender or extradition, from the Court and from another State pursuant to an international obligation, the State Party shall endeavour, in consultation with the Court and the other State, to meet both requests, if necessary by postponing or attaching conditions to one or the other request.
(ii) Failing that, competing requests shall be resolved in accordance with the principles established in article 90.
(b) Where, however, the request from the Court concerns information, property or persons which are subject to the control of a third State or an international organization by virtue of an international agreement, the requested States shall so inform the Court and the Court shall direct its request to the third State or international organization.
(a) The Court may, upon request, cooperate with and provide assistance to a State Party conducting an investigation into or trial in respect of conduct which constitutes a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court or which constitutes a serious crime under the national law of the requesting State.
(b)
(i) The assistance provided under subparagraph (a) shall include, inter alia:
a. The transmission of statements, documents or other types of evidence obtained in the course of an investigation or a trial conducted by the Court; and
b. The questioning of any person detained by order of the Court;
(ii) In the case of assistance under subparagraph (b) (i) a:
a. If the documents or other types of evidence have been obtained with the assistance of a State, such transmission shall require the consent of that State;
b. If the statements, documents or other types of evidence have been provided by a witness or expert, such transmission shall be subject to the provisions of article 68.
(c) The Court may, under the conditions set out in this paragraph, grant a request for assistance under this paragraph from a State which is not a Party to this Statute.