Ireland Judicial Assistance

Party to Hague Service Convention? Yes
Party to Hague Evidence Convention? No
Party to Hague Apostille Convention? Yes
Party to Inter-American Convention? No
Service of Process by Mail? Yes

 

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A SPECIFIC CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE APPROPRIATE FOREIGN AUTHORITIES OR FOREIGN COUNSEL.

Embassies and Consulates
U.S. Embassy Dublin
42 Elgin Road
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4
Ireland
Telephone: 353-1-668-8777
Emergency Telephone: 353-1-630-6200
Fax: 353-1-668-8056
ACSDublin@state.gov
List of Attorneys
List of Attorneys - U.S. Embassy Dublin
Helpful Links
Service of Process

Ireland is a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters.  Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website.  Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to the Irish Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention.  The languages used by the Irish Central Authority's staff are Irish (Gaelic) and English. The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court.  The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields.  In its Declarations and Reservations, Ireland objected to the methods of service in Article 10 b and c of the Convention.  International service of process by registered mail is allowed in Ireland, but this method will only record delivery to an address and not to a person.  For additional information see the Hague Conference Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.  See also Ireland’s response to the 2008 Hague Conference questionnaire on the practical operation of the Hague Service Convention. 

Service on a Foreign State: See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Service of Documents from Ireland in the United States: See information about service in the United States on the U.S. Central Authority for the Service Convention page of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Service Convention site.

Criminal Matters

Prosecution Requests: U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance. 

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters: Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Obtaining Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters
Ireland is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters.  Voluntary depositions of willing witnesses in civil and commercial matters is permitted regardless of the nationality of the witness.  If counsel intends to utilize videotape equipment for the purpose of recording the deposition, please note that special customs clearances must be obtained from Irish Customs and Excise, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, Tel: (353)(1) 679-2777. Without clearances, the equipment may be confiscated. American equipment may need special adapters to function on Irish electrical currents.  Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission.  If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. embassy directly.
Taking Voluntary Depositions of Willing Witnesses
None.
Authentication of Documents
Ireland is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. Ireland’s competent authority for the Hague Apostille Convention will authenticate Irish public documents with Apostilles.  For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in Ireland, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities.  To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.