Companies Act, 1990

Entry and search of premises.

20.—(1) If a District Justice is satisfied on information on oath laid by an officer authorised by the Minister or laid under the authority of the Minister that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that there are on any premises any books or documents of which production has been required under section 14 , 15 or 19 , and which have not been produced in compliance with that requirement, the Justice may issue a warrant authorising any member of the Garda Síochána together with any other persons named in the warrant and any other members of the Garda Síochána to enter the premises specified in the information (using such force as is reasonably necessary for the purpose) and to search the premises and take possession of any books or documents appearing to be such books or documents as aforesaid, or to take, in relation to any books or documents so appearing, any other steps which may appear necessary for preserving them and preventing interference with them.

(2) Every warrant issued under this section shall continue in force until the end of the period of one month after the date on which it is issued.

(3) Any books or documents of which possession is taken under this section may be retained for a period of three months or, if within that period there are commenced any such criminal proceedings as are mentioned in section 21 (1) (a) or (1) (b) (being proceedings to which the books or documents are relevant), until the conclusion of those proceedings.

(4) A person who obstructs the exercise of a right of entry or search conferred by virtue of a warrant issued under this section or who obstructs the exercise of a right so conferred to take possession of any books or documents, shall be guilty of an offence.