REVEALED: Over 450 bench warrants outstanding in Offaly and Laois

There were over 450 bench warrants issued in Offaly and Laois that were outstanding at the end of 2025, including one that is 17 years old. 

The information was revealed in a response to a parliamentary question from Labour TD Alan Kelly who put a question to the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan about the situation nationally. 

Deputy Kelly asked for the number of bench warrants currently outstanding in each Garda division as of 25 April 2025; the number older than six months, older than 12 months, and the longest outstanding issue date; the total number of outstanding bench warrants that predate 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.”

In a written answer, Minister O’Callaghan stated, “I am assured that An Garda Síochána execute warrants as expeditiously as possible, giving priority to the execution of warrants relating to serious crimes.”

According to the figures, there were a total of 467 outstanding warrants in Laois Offaly at the end of April.

Remarkably, 102 of the bench warrants are over five years old as they predate the year 2020 and the oldest outstanding warrant in Laois Offaly is 17 years old and dates from 2008. Nationally, the oldest outstanding warrant was issued in Dublin in 1971 and is 54 years outstanding.  

“The execution of warrants, including bench warrants, can be impeded by persons actively seeking to evade detection and where limited identification information might be available to support enforcement. This data also reflects an accumulation of old bench warrants and therefore may not be a reliable indicator of the number of 'live' warrants which are actually enforceable,” Minister O’Callaghan explained. 

“I am informed by the Garda Authorities that a bench warrant does not expire and is only removed from the PULSE system when cancelled by the Court. Local management in An Garda Síochána monitor the number of warrants (including bench warrants) under their area of responsibility. Applications may be made by An Garda Síochána to the court to cancel bench warrants following consideration of a number of factors, including: an error on the warrant, the death of the defendant, previous failed attempts to execute the warrant, the age of the warrant or evidence that there is now an inability to prosecute the substantive charge,”  said Minister O’Callaghan.