Animal Remedies Act, 1993

Impersonation of authorised officer, etc. and possession of certain identity documents.

18.—(1) A person who, with the intention to deceive—

(a) purports to be, or

(b) acts in a manner that would lead another person to believe that he is,

a person duly appointed as an authorised person, officer, inspector, examiner or other officer of the Minister or a person otherwise duly appointed by or with the authority of the Minister or of any other purported member of the Government exercising any functions of the Minister either—

(i) generally, or

(ii) for the purposes of this Act or any other enactment or purported enactment,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person who, without lawful excuse, has in his possession any document which—

(a) has been,

(b) purports to be, or

(c) could lead another person to believe that it has been,

duly issued for the purpose of identifying the person in possession of the document as a person duly authorised by, or a duly authorised officer, inspector, examiner or other officer of, the Minister or otherwise duly appointed by or with the authority of the Minister or, in the case of paragraph (b) or (c), of any other purported member of the Government exercising any functions of the Minister either—

(i) generally, or

(ii) for the purposes of this Act or any other enactment including, in the case of paragraph (b) or (c), any purported enactment,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) In this section references to the Minister include the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and any Minister of State at that Department and references to a purported member of the Government include any purported Department of State and any Minister of State at such Department.