Street and House To House Collections Act, 1962

Seizure of money and collection boxes in certain circumstances.

20.—(1) A member of the Garda Síochána may take, if necessary by force, from a person acting as a collector in a collection all the money in the possession of the person collected by him in the collection and the collection box or other receptacle (if any) in which the money is contained and all badges, emblems and other tokens used in or in connection with the collection in the possession of the person if—

(a) a collection permit has not been granted in respect of the holding of the collection,

(b) when a demand is duly made of the person in the course of the collection by the member to produce his collector's authorisation, he refuses or fails to do so or refuses or fails, on the production of the authorisation, to allow the member to read it, or

(c) when a demand is duly made of the person in the course of the collection by the member to give his name and address, he refuses or fails to do so or gives a name or address that the member knows or reasonably believes to be false or misleading.

(2) Articles and money taken from a collector under this section shall be forfeited to the Minister, and, subject to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, may be disposed of by the Minister as he sees fit.

(3) Any money taken from a collector may, at the discretion of the Minister, be returned—

(a) to the collector, or

(b) in the case of a collection in respect of which a collection permit was granted, to the holder of the permit,

but, if not so returned, shall be paid into or disposed of for the benefit of the Exchequer in such manner as the Minister for Finance may direct.