Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946

Foreign uniforms.

21.—(1) No person shall, save with the consent in writing of a Minister of State, enter or land in the State while wearing any foreign uniform.

(2) No person shall, save with the consent in writing of a Minister of State, go into any public place in the State while wearing any foreign uniform.

(3) (a) No person (in this subsection referred to as the conveyor) shall convey any other person (in this subsection referred to as the passenger) into the State by train, road vehicle or aircraft while the passengeris wearing any foreign uniform, unless the passenger produces on demand for inspection by or on behalf of the conveyor the consent in writing of a Minister of State to the entry of the passenger into the State while wearing such uniform.

(b) The person in charge of any train, road vehicle or aircraft shall take all steps necessary to ensure that in relation to such train, road vehicle or aircraft there is no contravention of paragraph (a) of this subsection.

(4) (a) It shall be the duty of the master of any ship arriving in the State to prevent any person from landing from such ship while wearing a foreign uniform, unless such person produces on demand for inspection by such master the consent in writing of a Minister to the entry of such person into the State while wearing such uniform.

(b) Where the master of any ship prevents under this subsection any person from landing while wearing any foreign uniform, such master shall detain the said person on board such ship until the occurrence of whichever of the following events first occurs, that is to say—

(i) such person removes such uniform,

(ii) such person obtains the consent in writing of a Minister of State to enter the State while wearing such uniform,

(iii) such ship leaves the State.

(c) A member of the Gárda Síochána may assist the master of any ship in preventing under this subsection any person from landing from such ship or in detaining under this subsection any person in such ship.

(5) Every person who contravenes (by act or omission) any provision in subsections (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds, or, at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

(6) Nothing in this section shall restrict, or apply in respect of, the wearing of any uniform by the head of any diplomatic mission duly accredited to the State or by any member of the diplomatic staff of such mission whose appointment as such has been officiallynotified to the Minister for External Affairs or who is otherwise entitled to diplomatic immunities.

(7) Nothing in this section shall restrict, or apply in respect of, the wearing of any foreign uniform in the course of a stage play or other dramatic representation or performance.

(8) In this section—

the expression “foreign uniform” means the uniform of any armed force (other than the Defence Forces), whether operating by land, sea or air and includes any distinctive part of any such uniform,

the expression “public place” includes any street, road, park, or other similar place, and also any place or building to which the public have access on payment of a charge for admission.

(9) This section shall come into operation on the 1st day of April, 1946.