67.— (1) A State competent authority may, by notice in writing, direct a designated person for whom the authority is a competent authority to provide such information or documents (or both) relating to the designated person specified in the notice.

(2) A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a direction under this section commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months (or both).

(3) In giving a direction under this section, a State competent authority shall specify the manner in which any document or information is required to be furnished and a reasonable time by which the document or information is required to be furnished.

(4) A person is required to furnish documents in accordance with this section only if the documents are in the person’s possession or within the person’s power to obtain lawfully.

(5) If a person knows the whereabouts of documents to which the direction applies, the person shall furnish to the State competent authority who gave the direction a statement, verified by a statutory declaration, identifying the whereabouts of the documents. The person shall furnish the statement no later than the time by which the direction specifies that the documents are required to be furnished.

(6) A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with subsection (5) commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months (or both).

(7) If any document required to be furnished under this section is in electronic, mechanical or other form, the document shall be furnished in written form, unless the direction specifies otherwise.

(8) A State competent authority may take copies of, or extracts from, any document furnished to the authority under this section.