Consumer Credit Act, 1995

Prohibition on engaging in business of moneylending without licence.

98.—(1) A person shall not engage in the business of moneylending on his own behalf unless—

(a) he is the holder of a moneylender's licence, and

(b) he maintains a business premises for that purpose which is not used as a residence by any person.

(2) A person shall not engage in the business of moneylending on behalf of a moneylender who is not the holder of a moneylender's licence.

(3) Where a member of the Garda Síochána has reasonable cause to suspect that a person in a public place is engaging in the business of moneylending in contravention of this section, the member may, without warrant, stop, question, search (if need be by force) and remove from that person any documents or money which the member reasonably believes may be in that person's possession for the purpose of moneylending.

(4) A person shall not obstruct or interfere with a member of the Garda Síochána acting under subsection (3) or give to a member information which is false or misleading.

(5) A person shall comply with any request made of him by a member of the Garda Síochána under subsection (3).

(6) In this section “public place” means any place to which the public have access whether as of right or by permission and whether subject to or free of charge; and the doorways, entrances and gardens abutting onto a public place and any ground or car-park adjoining and open to a public place shall be treated as forming part of a public place.