Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1926

Prohibition of certain classes of messages, etc.

11.—(1) No person shall send or attempt to send by wireless telegraphy from any place in Saorstát Eireann or any ship or other vessel in the inland or the territorial waters of Saorstát Eireann or any ship registered in Saorstát Eireann wherever such ship may be or any aircraft in or over Saorstát Eireann or the territorial waters thereof—

(a) any message or communication of an indecent, obscene, or offensive character, nor

(b) any message or communication subversive of public order, nor

(c) any false or misleading signal of distress, nor

(d) any false or misleading message, signal, or communication to a ship or other vessel or an aircraft in distress.

(2) No person shall improperly divulge the purport of any message, communication, or signal sent or proposed to be sent by wireless telegraphy.

(3) Every person who sends or attempts to send or divulges the purport of any message, communication, or signal in contravention of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be liable on conviction thereof to imprisonment with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding twelve months.

(4) Whenever a person is charged before a justice of the District Court with having committed a misdemeanour under this section and the justice is of opinion that the facts proved against the person so charged constitute a minor offence fit to be tried summarily and the said person (inquiry having been made of him by the justice) does not object to be so tried, the justice may hear and determine the case summarily but shall not impose any greater penalty than a fine not exceeding ten pounds or, at his discretion, imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month, or both such fine and such imprisonment.