Health Act 2007

Further circumstances in which District Court may issue warrant.

75.— (1) Where—

(a) in relation to any premises referred to in section 73 (1), an authorised person monitoring compliance with the standards in accordance with section 8 (1)(c) or conducting an investigation referred to in section 8 (1)(d), or

(b) in relation to any premises referred to in section 73 (2), the chief inspector conducting an inspection referred to in section 41 ,

is prevented or has reasonable cause to believe there is a likelihood that he or she will be prevented from entering the premises, an application may be made to the District Court for a warrant under subsection (2) authorising the entry.

(2) If a judge of the District Court is satisfied on the sworn information of an authorised person or the chief inspector that there are reasonable grounds for believing—

(a) that there are any records (including records stored in a non-legible form) relating to a service or to a registered provider, designated centre or special care unit, or that there is anything being used at the premises referred to in section 73 (1) or (2), which—

(i) the authorised person considers it necessary to inspect for the purposes of monitoring compliance with standards in accordance with section 8 (1)(c) or an investigation referred to in section 8 (1)(d), or

(ii) the chief inspector considers it necessary to inspect for the purposes of an inspection referred to in section 41 ,

or

(b) that there is, or such an inspection is likely to disclose, evidence of a contravention of this Act or the regulations or, in the case of an inspection referred to in paragraph (a)(ii), a contravention of—

(i) this Act or the regulations,

(ii) the provisions, specified in section 41 (a), of this Act, of the other Acts referred to in section 41 (a), or

(iii) the regulations or standards referred to in section 41 (c) or (d),

the judge may issue a warrant permitting the authorised person or the chief inspector or an inspector, accompanied by other persons with appropriate qualifications, or by members of the Garda Síochána as may be necessary, at any time or times, within one month after the date of issue of the warrant, on production of the warrant if requested, to enter the premises, if need be by reasonable force, and to perform the functions conferred by or under section 73 .