Grant of licences.

5.— (1) The appropriate authority may, subject to this Act and on payment of the prescribed fee (if any) grant to any person a licence to keep and have possession of apparatus for wireless telegraphy in any specified place in the State or to keep and have possession of apparatus for wireless telegraphy in any specified ship or other vessel or aircraft.

(2) Every licence granted under this section shall be in such form, continue in force for such period and be subject to such conditions and restrictions (including conditions as to suspension and revocation) as shall be prescribed in regard to it by regulations made by the appropriate authority under section 6.

(3) Where it appears appropriate to the appropriate authority, it may, in the interests of the efficient and orderly use of wireless telegraphy, limit the number of licences for any particular class or classes of apparatus for wireless telegraphy granted under this section.

(4) This section does not apply to television sets.

(5) For the purposes of this Act and any regulations under section 6, a vehicle is itself deemed to be a place separate and distinct from the premises in which the vehicle is ordinarily kept, and place and specified place shall in this Act and in any such regulations be read accordingly.

Regulations in regard to licences.

6.— (1) The appropriate authority may make regulations prescribing in relation to all licences granted by it under section 5 or any particular class or classes of such licences all or any of the matters following that is to say—

(a) the form of such licences,

(b) the period during which such licences continue in force,

(c) the manner in which, the terms on which, and the period or periods for which such licences may be renewed,

(d) the circumstances in which or the terms under which such licences are granted,

(e) the circumstances and manner in which such licences may be suspended or revoked by that authority,

(f) the terms and conditions to be observed by the holders of such licences and subject to which such licences are deemed to be granted,

(g) the fees to be paid on the application, grant or renewal of such licences or classes of such licences, subject to such exceptions as the appropriate authority may prescribe, and the time and manner at and in which such fees are to be paid,

(h) matters which such licences do not entitle or authorise the holder to do.

(2) Regulations made under this section may authorise and provide for the granting of a licence under section 5 subject to special terms, conditions, and restrictions to any person who satisfies the appropriate authority that the person requires the licence solely for the purpose of conducting experiments in wireless telegraphy.

(3) If it appears to be expedient to the appropriate authority to do so it may by instrument in writing recognise as valid a licence issued by another country or state in respect of a class or classes of apparatus for wireless telegraphy subject to such conditions or restrictions as to the use of such apparatus as that authority sees fit.

(4) (a) Every regulation made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made.

(b) Either House of the Oireachtas may, within 21 sitting days after the day on which a regulation was laid before it in accordance with paragraph (a), pass a resolution annulling the regulation.

(c) The annulment under paragraph (b) of a regulation takes effect immediately on the passing of the resolution concerned, but does not affect anything that was done under it before the passing of the resolution.

Obligation to furnish certain information.

7.— (1) The appropriate authority may, whenever it considers it appropriate to do so, serve on a person a special notice, accompanied by or including a form of declaration, requiring the person—

(a) to state on the form of declaration such one or more of the matters specified in subsection (2) as is specified in the notice,

(b) to complete and sign the declaration, and

(c) to give or send the completed declaration by post to a specified officer of that authority.

The special notice is required to be in writing and to be sent by registered post.

(2) The matters which a person may be required under this section to state in a declaration are—

(a) whether he or she does or does not keep or has or has not in his or her possession any apparatus for wireless telegraphy (other than television sets),

(b) if he or she keeps or has in his or her possession any such apparatus, the nature of such apparatus, the name and address of the person by whom such apparatus was sold, let, hired or otherwise supplied to him or her and the place at which he or she keeps or has the same,

(c) whether he or she has or has not a licence granted under section 5 and then in force,

(d) if he or she has such a licence, the number, date, and office of issue of such licence,

(e) any matter which the Commission may require for the purpose of an order under section 5 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1972, and

(f) any other matter relating to wireless telegraphy (other than television sets).

(3) Every person on whom a special notice is duly served under this section shall, within 14 days after service, duly and correctly complete in accordance with the notice and this section the form of declaration to the officer named in that behalf in the notice. If the person fails or neglects so to complete and give or send the declaration or makes in the declaration any statement which is to his or her knowledge false or misleading he or she commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €1,000.

(4) In a prosecution for an offence under subsection (3) in which it is shown that a specific notice has been sent by registered post, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is shown, that the person to whom the notice was sent has not complied with the requirements of that subsection.

Issue of search warrants.

8.— (1) A judge of the District Court may, upon the information on oath of an officer of the appropriate authority or of a member of the Garda Síochána that there is reasonable ground for believing that apparatus for wireless telegraphy is being kept or is being worked or used at any specified place, specified vehicle or in any specified ship or other vessel in contravention of the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1926 to 2009 or any regulation made or condition imposed under those Acts or the Broadcasting (Offences) Acts 1968 to 2009, issue to such officer or (with the consent of the appropriate authority) to such member of the Garda Síochána (as the case may be) a search warrant which shall be expressed and shall operate to authorise the officer of that authority or member of the Garda Síochána to whom the same is granted—

(a) to enter, within one month from the date of issue of the warrant, on production of the warrant, if so requested, and if need be by force, the place, vehicle, ship or other vessel named in the information,

(b) there to search for apparatus for wireless telegraphy and to examine all such apparatus or any such vehicle found there, and

(c) to seize and take away all or any part of such apparatus which appears to such officer or member to be kept, worked or used in contravention of the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1926 to 2009 or any regulation made or condition imposed under those Acts or the Broadcasting (Offences) Acts 1968 to 2009.

(2) A search warrant granted under this section shall operate to authorise any one or more of the following, namely, any member of the Garda Síochána or officer of the appropriate authority or other person authorised by the person to whom the warrant is granted to accompany and assist him or her in the exercise of the powers conferred on him or her by the warrant.

(3) An officer of the appropriate authority may retain anything seized under this section which he or she believes to be evidence of any offence or suspected offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1926 to 2009 or the Broadcasting (Offences) Acts 1968 to 2009, for use as evidence in proceedings in relation to any such offence, for such period from the date of seizure as is reasonable, or, if proceedings are commenced in which the thing so seized is required for use in evidence, until the conclusion of the proceedings.

(4) The appropriate authority shall, as soon as may be after the conclusion of any proceedings, deliver any thing seized and retained under this section to the person who in its opinion is the owner of it, unless—

(a) the appropriate authority decides it is unable to ascertain who owns the thing, in which case the Police (Property) Act 1897 applies to the thing so seized and retained, or

(b) such delivery would result in a contravention of the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1926 to 2009 or the Broadcasting (Offences) Acts 1968 to 2009, in which case the Police (Property) Act 1897 applies to the thing so seized and retained as though the appropriate authority could not ascertain the owner of the thing.

(5) (a) A person who by act or omission impedes or obstructs an officer of the appropriate authority or a member of the Garda Síochána or any other person in the exercise of a power conferred by a search warrant issued under this section commits an offence.

(b) A person who with intent to impede or obstruct an officer of the appropriate authority or a member of the Garda Síochána or any other person in the exercise of a power conferred by a search warrant issued under this section places, erects, installs, keeps or maintains any thing commits an offence.

(c) A person guilty of an offence under this subsection is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000.

Regulations as to wireless telegraphy in ships and aircraft.

9.— (1) The appropriate authority may make regulations in respect of all or any of the following matters, that is to say:

(a) requiring operators and other persons engaged in the working of apparatus for wireless telegraphy on—

(i) all or any ships registered under the Mercantile Marine Act 1955, or

(ii) all or any classes or class of ships or vessels navigating or operating in the State,

to hold certificates of competency;

(b) requiring operators and other persons engaged in the working of apparatus for wireless telegraphy on all or any classes of aircraft owned or leased by persons in the State to hold certificates of competency;

(c) the grant and renewal of such certificates of competency, the terms and conditions on which such certificates will be granted, and the qualifications to be possessed and the examinations and other tests to be undergone by persons to whom such certificates are granted;

(d) the duration, revocation and suspension of certificates of competency granted under the regulations;

(e) the validity, duration, renewal, revocation, and suspension of certificates of competency granted otherwise than under the regulations whether by the appropriate authority or any other person;

(f) the fees to be charged for or in connection with the granting and renewal of any such certificates of competence as aforesaid and the collection and disposal of such fees;

(g) regulating and controlling the times and manner of working apparatus for wireless telegraphy in ships registered under the Mercantile Marine Act 1955 and, while they are in the State, ships registered outside the State and unregistered ships and other vessels;

(h) regulating and controlling the times and manner of working apparatus for wireless telegraphy in aircraft owned or leased by persons in the State and, while they are in or over the State or the territorial waters thereof, aircraft not so owned;

(i) giving effect to and securing compliance with the provisions (save in so far as the same relate to ships to which this section and regulations made under it do not apply) of any international convention in relation to wireless telegraphy entered into by the Government.

(2) Regulations made under this section may—

(a) provide that a breach or contravention of any specified such regulation shall be an offence, and

(b) in relation to convictions on indictment for such an offence, provide that the court by whom the defendant is convicted may order the interest of the defendant, whether as owner or otherwise, in all or any apparatus in respect of or by means of which the court is satisfied a breach or contravention of a specified such regulation was committed to be forfeited.

(3) (a) Every regulation made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made.

(b) Either House of the Oireachtas may, within 21 sitting days after the day on which a regulation was laid before it in accordance with paragraph (a), pass a resolution annulling the regulation.

(c) The annulment under paragraph (b) of a regulation takes effect immediately on the passing of the resolution concerned, but does not affect anything that was done under it before the passing of the resolution.

(4) A person guilty of an offence by reason of a breach or contravention of a regulation specified, by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsection (2), in regulations made under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €250,000.

(5) For the purposes of this section—

(a) a ship is deemed to be navigating or operating in the State if it is usually kept in Irish waters (within the meaning of section 2 of the Maritime Safety Act 2005), and

(b) an aircraft is deemed to be owned or leased by a person in the State if but only if it is owned or leased by a person who—

(i) in the case of an individual, has his or her place of residence in the State, or

(ii) in the case of an association, company (within the meaning of the Companies Acts) or other body (whether corporate or unincorporate) has its principal office in the State.

(6) In this section, "appropriate authority"—

(a) in relation to apparatus for wireless telegraphy on ships or other vessels, means the Minister for Transport, and

(b) in relation to apparatus for wireless telegraphy on aircraft, means the Commission.