Stock Exchange Act, 1995

Search and seizure.

66.— (1) If a Judge of the District Court is satisfied on the sworn information of an authorised officer or an inspector appointed under section 64 of this Act that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that there are on any premises any books or documents—

(a) of which production has been required under this Act, and

(b) which have not been produced in compliance with that requirement,

the Judge 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, at any time or times within one month from the date of the warrant, on production if so requested of the warrant, to enter the premises specified in the information (using such force as is reasonably necessary for the purpose) and to search the premises or other place specified in the warrant and—

(i) take possession of any books or documents appearing to be such books or documents as aforesaid, or

(ii) 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) 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 69 (1) (a) of this Act (being proceedings to which the books or documents are relevant), until the conclusion of those proceedings.

(3) A person who—

(a) obstructs or interferes with a member of the Garda Síochána acting under the authority of a warrant issued under this section, or

(b) is found on the premises or at the place specified in the warrant by a member of the Garda Síochána acting as aforesaid and who fails or refuses to give the member his name and address when required to do so or gives a name and address that is false or misleading, or

(c) who obstructs a member of the Garda Síochána in the lawful exercise of a power conferred on him to take possession of any books or documents,

shall be guilty of an offence.