Offences Against the State Act, 1939

Powers of search, etc., of detained persons.

56.—(1) It shall be lawful for any member of the Gárda Síochána to do all or any of the following things in respect of any person who is arrested and detained under this Part of this Act, that is to say:—

(a) to demand of such person his name and address;

(b) to search such person or cause him to be searched;

(c) to photograph such person or cause him to be photographed;

(d) to take, or cause to be taken, the finger-prints of such person.

(2) Every person who shall obstruct or impede the exercise in respect of him by a member of the Gárda Síochána of any of the powers conferred by the next preceding sub-section of this section or shall fail or refuse to give his name and address when demanded of him by a member of the Gárda Síochána under the said sub-section or shall give a name or an address which is false or misleading shall be guilty of a contravention of the regulations made under this Part of this Act in relation to the preservation of discipline and shall be dealt with accordingly.