Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923

Punishment of false oath and personation.

135.—(1) Where any regulations to be made by the Minister or the Minister for Finance with respect to the payment of any military reward, pension, or allowance, or any sum payable in respect of military service, or with respect to the payment of money or delivery of property in the possession of the military authorities, provide for proving on oath or by statutory declaration, the identity of the recipient or any other matter in connection with such payment, such oath may be administered and declaration taken by the person mentioned in the regulations, and any person who in such oath or declaration wilfully makes any false statement, shall be liable to punishment for perjury.

(2) Any person who falsely represents himself to any military or civil authority to belong to or to be a particular man in the Forces, or in the Reserve to be established under any Act of the Oireachtas, shall be deemed to be guilty of personation.

(3) Any person who is guilty of an offence under the False Personation Act, 1874, in relation to any military pay, reward, pension, or allowance, or to any sum payable in respect of military service, or to any money or property in the possession of the military authorities, or is guilty of personation under this Section, shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds.

(4) Provided that nothing in this Section shall prevent any person from being proceeded against and punished under any other enactment or at common law in respect of any offence, so that he be not punished twice for the same offence.