F17[19.—(1) Any person who assaults or threatens to assault—

(a) a person providing medical services at or in a hospital, or

(b) a person assisting such a person, or

(c) a peace officer acting in the execution of a peace officer’s duty, knowing that he or she is, or being reckless as to whether he or she is, a peace officer so acting, or

(d) any other person acting in aid of a peace officer, or

(e) any other person with intent to resist or prevent the lawful apprehension or detention of himself or herself or any other person for any offence,

shall be guilty of an offence. ]

(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) shall be liable—

(a) having elected for summary disposal of the offence, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding F18[€5,000] or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both,

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding F18[7 years] or to both.

F19[(3) Any person who resists or wilfully obstructs or impedes—

(a) a person providing medical services at or in a hospital, knowing that he or she is, or being reckless as to whether he or she is, a person providing medical services, or

(b) a person assisting such a person, or

(c) a peace officer acting in the execution of a peace officer’s duty, knowing that he or she is or being reckless as to whether he or she is, a peace officer so acting, or

(d) a person assisting a peace officer in the execution of his or her duty,

shall be guilty of an offence.]

(4) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (3) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding F20[€2,500] or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.

(5) The provisions of this section are in addition to and not in substitution of any provision in any other enactment relating to assault or obstruction of a peace officer.

(6) In this section—

F21[ “hospital” includes the lands, buildings and premises connected with and used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a hospital; ]

F21[ “medical services” means services provided by—

(a) doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, health and social care professionals (within the meaning of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005) or other persons in the provision of treatment and care for persons at or in a hospital, or

(b) persons acting under direction of those persons;]

“peace officer” means a member of the Garda Síochána, a prison officer F22[, a member of the fire brigade, ambulance personnel] or a member of the Defence Forces;

“prison” means any place for which rules or regulations may be made under the Prisons Acts, 1826 to 1980, section 7 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1940, section 233 of the Defence Act, 1954, section 2 of the Prisoners of War and Enemy Aliens Act, 1956, or section 13 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1960;

F23[ ‘prison officer’ includes any member of the staff of a prison and any person having the custody of, or having duties relating to the custody of, a person in relation to whom an order of a court committing that person to a prison is for the time being in force;]