68.—(1) When a child is arrested and brought to a Garda Síochána station by a member of the Garda Síochána, the member in charge of the station may, if he or she considers it prudent to do so and no warrant directing the detention of the child is in force, release the child on bail and for that purpose take, or arrange to have taken, from the child a recognisance, with or without sureties, for his or her due appearance—

(a) before the Children Court at its next sitting in the district court area in which the child has been arrested or at any subsequent sitting thereof in that district court area during the period of 30 days immediately following such next sitting, or

(b) in the case of the Children Court in the Dublin Metropolitan District, before the next sitting of that Court or any subsequent sitting thereof during the period of 30 days immediately following such next sitting.

(2) The recognisance referred to in subsection (1) may be taken from the child’s parent or guardian and may be for the due appearance before the Children Court of the parent or guardian as well as of the child concerned.

(3) The recognisance may be estreated in like manner as a recognisance entered into before a judge of the District Court is estreated.

F73[(4) If the recognisance is conditioned for the payment of a sum of money, that sum may be accepted in lieu of a surety or sureties.]

(5) Any recognisance taken under this section, or any sum of money accepted under this section in lieu of a surety or sureties, shall be transmitted, by the person taking the recognisance or receiving the sum of money, to the district court clerk for the district court area in which the sitting of the Children Court before which the child is to appear is being held.

(6) This section does not apply in the case of an arrest of a child under section 251 (which deals with the arrest of suspected deserters and absentees) of the Defence Act, 1954.

(7) Section 31 (which deals with release on bail by members of the Garda Síochána) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1967, shall cease to have effect in relation to a child.