Consular Conventions Act, 1954

Restriction of powers of entry into consulates.

6.—(1) Subject to this section, a consulate shall not be entered by a member of the Garda Síochána or other person acting in the execution of any warrant or other legal process or in the exercise of any other power conferred by law, except with the consent of the consular officer in charge or, if that consent is withheld or cannot be obtained, with the consent of the Minister.

(2) This section does not apply to an entry effected by—

(a) a member of the Garda Síochána having reasonable cause to believe that a crime involving violence has been or is being or is about to be committed in the premises;

(b) a person entitled to enter by virtue of any easement, contract or other private right;

(c) a person entitled under section 9 of the Fire Brigades Act, 1940 (No. 7 of 1940), to enter premises for the purpose of extinguishing a fire.

(3) This section does not apply to a consulate which for the time being is in the charge of a consular officer who is a citizen of Ireland or is not a national of the country of which he is consular officer.