17.— (1) The Forensic Science Laboratory of the Department of Justice and Law Reform is hereby designated as a laboratory (in this Act referred to as a “designated laboratory”) for the examination, inspection, testing or analysis of substances for the purposes of this Act and each person who is engaged in the analysis of samples at that laboratory is hereby designated as an analyst (in this Act referred to as a “designated analyst”).

(2) The Minister may, after consultation with the Minister for Health and Children, for the purposes of this Act designate, by notice in writing published in Iris Oifigiúil—

(a) a laboratory as a designated laboratory at which samples taken for the purposes of this Act may be analysed, and

(b) as a designated analyst a person as being a person who, or a class of persons the members of which, may, at a designated laboratory, analyse samples taken under this Act.

(3) As soon as practicable after a sample taken by a member of the Garda Síochána or an officer of Customs and Excise, as the case may be, under this Act has been received at a designated laboratory it shall be analysed by a designated analyst at the laboratory.

(4) As soon as practicable after compliance with subsection (3), a designated analyst engaged in the analysis of samples at the designated laboratory concerned shall forward the results of the analysis (in this Act referred to as a “certificate of analysis”) carried out on the sample concerned to the Garda Síochána station or customs office, as the case may be, from which the sample was forwarded.

(5) A certificate of analysis shall be in such form as may be specified by the Minister.