14.— (1) In any proceedings for an offence under this Part in which it is alleged that property the subject of the offence is the proceeds of criminal conduct occurring in a place outside the State, a certificate—

(a) purporting to be signed by a lawyer practising in the place, and

(b) stating that such conduct is an offence in that place,

is evidence of the matters referred to in that certificate, unless the contrary is shown.

(2) A certificate referred to in subsection (1) is taken to have been signed by the person purporting to have signed it, unless the contrary is shown.

(3) In a case where a certificate referred to in subsection (1) is written in a language other than the Irish language or the English language, unless the contrary is shown—

(a) a document purporting to be a translation of that certificate into the Irish language or the English language, as the case may be, and that is certified as correct by a person appearing to be competent to so certify, is taken—

(i) to be a correct translation of the certificate, and

(ii) to have been certified by the person purporting to have certified it,

and

(b) the person is taken to be competent to so certify.

(4) In any proceedings for an offence under section 8 committed in the circumstances referred to in section 8(1)(c), a certificate purporting to be signed by an officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and stating that—

(a) a passport was issued by that Department to a person on a specified date, and

(b) 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 is alleged to have been committed, and is taken to have been signed by the person purporting to have signed it, unless the contrary is shown.

(5) In any proceedings for an offence under section 8 committed in the circumstances referred to in section 8 (1) (d) or (e), a certificate purporting to be signed by the Minister and stating any of the matters referred to in that paragraph is evidence of those matters, and is taken to have been signed by the Minister, unless the contrary is shown.