District Justices (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923

Appointment of Peace Commissioners.

4.—(1) The Minister may from time to time by warrant under his hand appoint and remove such and so many fit and proper persons as he shall think expedient in each County to be called “Peace Commissioners” and to perform and exercise within such County the duties and powers prescribed by this Act.

(2) A Peace Commissioner shall have all the powers and authorities which immediately before the passing of this Act were vested in a Justice of the Peace in respect of the several matters following, that is to say:—

(a) signing Summonses;

(b) signing Warrants;

(c) Administering oaths and taking declarations, affirmations and informations;

(d) committing dangerous lunatics and idiots to Lunatic Asylums under Section 10 of the Lunacy (Ireland Act, 1867 (30 & 31 Vict., ch. 118);

(e) signing certificates for the admission of lunatics and idiots to Lunatic Asylums;

(f) signing the certificate required by Section 2 of the Statute entitled the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act, 1904:

Provided always that any summons against any member of the Civic Guard shall be signed by a District Justice.

(3) Whenever any person charged with having committed an indictable offence shall be arrested by a member of the Civic Guard such person shall unless a District Justice is immediately available forthwith be brought before a Peace Commissioner who after hearing such evidence as may be offered shall remand such person either in custody or in such bail as the Peace Commissioner shall think fit and remit the case for hearing before a District Justice on a date not later than the next District Court to be held in the Court District where such person was arrested.

(4) Whenever any person charged with having committed an indictable offence is brought before a District Justice it shall be lawful for such District Justice to remand such person to a date not later than the next District Court to be held by him in the Court District where such person was arrested.