International Protection Act 2026

Chapter 6

Miscellaneous

Offences under Part 14

275. (1) A person shall be guilty of an offence if he or she—

(a) obstructs or impedes the Chief Inspector or a member of staff of the Chief Inspector in the course of exercising a power conferred on him or her by this Part,

(b) fails or refuses to comply with a requirement of the Chief Inspector or a member of staff of the Chief Inspector under this Part,

(c) alters, suppresses or destroys any documents, records, statements or other information which the person concerned has been required by the Chief Inspector or a member of staff of the Chief Inspector to produce, or may reasonably expect to be so required to produce,

(d) in purported compliance with a requirement under this section, gives to the Chief Inspector or a member of staff of the Chief Inspector information, documents or records which the person knows to be false or misleading in a material respect,

(e) falsely represents himself or herself to be the Chief Inspector or a member of staff of the Chief Inspector, or

(f) procures or attempts to procure any action referred to in paragraphs (a) to (e).

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or both.