French authorities investigating the murder of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier have issued an arrest warrant for journalist Ian Bailey.
The body of Toscan du Plantier was found at her holiday home at Toormore near Schull in west Cork in December 1996.
The application for Mr Bailey's arrest is understood to have been received by the Department of Justice in mid-March and has been sent to the Attorney General.
He will decide if it is legally appropriate to send the warrant to the High Court which when then decide whether or not to grant the application. It is understood the process will take approximately one month.
If it is endorsed it will be up to gardaí to execute the warrant.
Mr Bailey (53) was arrested by gardaí for questioning about the murder on February 10th, 1997, and again on January 22nd, 1998, but was released without charge on each occasion. He has continually protested his innocence of any involvement in the killing.
Mr Bailey initiated legal proceedings against the State in 2007 after a key witness, Marie Farrell, retracted a statement she made to gardaí in which she said tshe saw him at Kealfadda Bridge near Toscan du Plantier's home on the night of the murder.
These proceedings are ongoing.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Frank Buttimer, solicitor for Ian Bailey, said his client "has never been contacted by any so called French judicial or other authority to assist in relation to any investigation".
He said Mr Bailey would fight any extradition charges and would have a very strong case to resist the warrant.
"I believe Mr Bailey's position under Irish law is completely secure. I find the whole thing quite bemusing in the context of the persistent attempted involvement of Mr Bailey in these matters," Mr Buttimer said.