75.— F25[(1) In any proceedings for an offence under section 71 or 74—

(a) a certificate that is signed by an officer of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and stating that a passport was issued by that Minister of the Government to a person on a specified date, and

(b) a certificate that is signed by an officer of the Minister and stating that, to the best of the officer’s knowledge and belief, the person has not ceased to be an Irish citizen,

is evidence that the person was an Irish citizen on the date on which the offence concerned is alleged to have been committed, unless the contrary is shown.]

F26[(1A) In any proceedings for an offence under section 71, a certificate that is signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions or by a person authorised by him or her and that states any of the matters specified in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 74(3) is evidence of the facts stated in the certificate, unless the contrary is shown.]

(2) A document purporting to be a certificate under F25[subsection (1) or (1A)] is deemed, unless the contrary is shown—

(a) to be such a certificate,

(b) to have been signed by the person purporting to have signed it, and

(c) in the case of a certificate signed with the authority of the F25[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister] or the Director of Public Prosecutions, to have been signed in accordance with the authorisation.