Diseases of Animals Act, 1966

PART IV

Administration

General powers of inspectors.

42.—(1) An inspector shall have, for the purposes of this Act, all the powers which a member of the Garda Síochána has under this Act in the place where the inspector is acting.

(2) The inspector may at any time enter any land, building, shed, pen or place wherein he has reasonable grounds for supposing—

(a) that disease exists or has within fifty-six days existed, or

(b) that the carcase of a diseased or suspected animal or bird is or has been kept, or has been buried, destroyed, or otherwise disposed of, or

(c) that there is to be found any animal, bird, pen, place, vehicle, or thing in respect whereof any person has on any occasion failed to comply with the provisions of this Act or of an order of the Minister or of a regulation of a local authority, or

(d) that this Act or an order of the Minister or a regulation of a local authority has not been or is not being complied with.

(3) An inspector may at any time enter any pen, vehicle, vessel, boat or aircraft in which or in respect whereof he has reasonable grounds for supposing that this Act or an order of the Minister or a regulation of a local authority has not been or is not being complied with.

(4) An inspector may examine any animals or poultry on or in any land, building, place, pen, vehicle, vessel, boat or aircraft entered by him under this section; and the owners of any such animals or poultry shall comply with all reasonable requirements of the inspector and afford all other reasonable facilities for the purpose of such examination.

(5) An inspector, entering as authorised by this section, shall, if required by the owner or occupier or person in charge of the land, building, place, pen, vehicle, vessel, boat, or aircraft state in writing his reasons for entering and produce his appointment.

(6) A certificate of an inspector or other authorised person to the effect that an animal or bird is or was affected with a disease specified in the certificate shall, for the purposes of this Act, be conclusive evidence of the matter certified.

(7) An inspector of the Minister shall have all the powers of an inspector throughout the State or that part thereof for which he may have been specially appointed.

(8) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section the Minister may by order, either generally or in relation to particular animals and poultry or particular diseases, restrict the powers of inspectors of a local authority under this Act.