The Justice Minister Alan Shatter says there's nothing to prevent the US from making a fresh application to the Irish courts for the extradition of whistleblower Ed Snowden, should he enter the state.
It follows refusal by the High Court to issue a provisional arrest warrant, in the event Snowden arrives in Ireland seeking political asylum.
Judgement
Mr Justice Colm Mac Eochaidh said he was refusing the US authorities’ application because of a failure to indicate the place where any of the alleged offences happened.
Responding the High Court Judgement, which was delivered over the weekend, but only made public this evening, Minister Shatter said the Irish and US authorities are in close contact with regard to Snowden.
He said it was worth noting that the High Court refused to issue the arrest warrant "on the basis of specific information, rather than a determination as to whether an individual should or should not be extradited. "
Leaks
Ed Snowden leaked classified US intelligence documents to the media last month.
Once he was unveiled as the NSA whistleblower, he fled to Moscow, where he has been holed up in a transit area of the city's airport for weeks.
He has subsequently released intelligence claiming that the US has been monitoring secret, official EU communications.
Asylum
Snowden has sought political asylum in dozens of countries - most of which have refused.
However, Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua are enthusiastic to grant him asylum, if he can get out of Moscow - and is given uninhibited passage through international airspace.
