The Department of Justice has sent the US authorities an "extradition reminder" to speed up the extradition of an American citizen to face criminal proceedings in relation to an alleged assisted suicide in Dublin in 2002.
The extradition of the Rev George Exoo, a "right-to-die" activist, has been held up by "technical difficulties" in the US, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
Rev Exoo and an assistant are understood to have travelled to Ireland and to have been present when Rosemary Toole Gilhooley (49) committed suicide in January 2002. The event occurred in a rented house in Donnybrook, Dublin.
"The present position is that the extradition request is still live. We sent an extradition reminder via the Department of Justice to the US State Department," Insp Martin McGonnell, of Donnybrook station, told the court.
This reminder had been sent in January, he added.
The Garda have provided the US authorities with documentation in order to facilitate an extradition, but the case had been hampered by a "legal quagmire" in the US, Insp McGonnell said. Legal difficulties had arisen over the length of time the sentence might carry, he said.
Assisted suicide is a criminal offence in Ireland under the 1993 Criminal Law (Suicide) Act, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. To date, no one has been charged with this crime.
The inquest into Ms Toole Gilhooley's death was adjourned for six months as criminal proceedings may be forthcoming.
Rev Exoo has denied assisting in the suicide, but has admitted that he was present when the woman ended her life.