Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2001

1. Interpretation.

1.—(1) In this Act “the Act of 1906” means the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906.

(2) References in this Act to an act include references to an omission and references to the doing of an act include references to the making of an omission.

(3) References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended by any subsequent enactment including this Act.

2. Amendment of section 1 of Act of 1906.

2.—The Act of 1906 is hereby amended by the substitution of the following section for section 1:

“1.—(1) An agent or any other person who—

(a) corruptly accepts or obtains, or

(b) corruptly agrees to accept or attempts to obtain,

for himself or herself, or for any other person, any gift, consideration or advantage as an inducement to, or reward for, or otherwise on account of, the agent doing any act or making any omission in relation to his or her office or position or his or her principal's affairs or business shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person who—

(a) corruptly gives or agrees to give, or

(b) corruptly offers,

any gift or consideration to an agent or any other person, whether for the benefit of that agent, person or another person, as an inducement to, or reward for, or otherwise on account of, the agent doing any act or making any omission in relation to his or her office or position or his or her principal's affairs or business shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) A person who knowingly gives to any agent, or an agent who knowingly uses with intent to deceive his or her principal, any receipt, account or other document in respect of which the principal is interested, and which contains any statement which is false or erroneous or defective in any material particular, and which to his or her knowledge is intended to mislead the principal shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £2,362.69 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both.

(5) In this Act—

‘agent’ includes—

(a) any person employed by or acting for another,

(b) (i) an office holder or director (within the meaning, in each case, of the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, 1889, as amended) of, and a person occupying a position of employment in, a public body (within the meaning aforesaid) and a special adviser (within the meaning aforesaid),

(ii) a member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann,

(iii) a person who is a member of the European Parliament by virtue of the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997,

(iv) an Attorney General (who is not a member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann),

(v) the Comptroller and Auditor General,

(vi) the Director of Public Prosecutions,

(vii) a judge of a court in the State,

(viii) any other person employed by or acting on behalf of the public administration of the State,

and

(c) (i) a member of the government of any other state,

(ii) a member of a parliament, regional or national, of any other state,

(iii) a member of the European Parliament (other than a person who is a member by virtue of the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997),

(iv) a member of the Court of Auditors of the European Communities,

(v) a member of the Commission of the European Communities,

(vi) a public prosecutor in any other state,

(vii) a judge of a court in any other state,

(viii) a judge of any court established under an international agreement to which the State is a party,

(ix) a member of, or any other person employed by or acting for or on behalf of, any body established under an international agreement to which the State is a party, and

(x) any other person employed by or acting on behalf of the public administration of any other state;

‘consideration’ includes valuable consideration of any kind;

‘principal’ includes an employer.”.

2A. F1[Seizure of suspected bribe.

2A.—(1) A member of the Garda Síochána may seize any gift or consideration which the member suspects to be a gift or consideration within the meaning of section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, as amended bysection 2of this Act.

(2) The seized property may not be detained for more than 48 hours unless its detention for a further period is authorised by order of a judge of the Circuit Court.

(3) Such an order—

(a) shall not be made unless the judge is satisfied—

(i) that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the seized property is a gift or consideration within the meaning of the saidsection 1,

(ii) that either its origin or derivation is being further investigated or consideration is being given to instituting proceedings, whether in the State or elsewhere, against a person for an offence with which the gift or consideration is connected, and

(iii) that it is accordingly necessary that the property be detained for a further period,

and

(b) shall authorise the detention of the seized property for a further specified period or periods, not exceeding 3 months in any case or 2 years in aggregate.

(4) An application for an order undersubsection (3)of this section may be made by a member of the Garda Síochána.

(5) Property detained under this section shall continue to be so detained until the final determination of—

(a) any proceedings, whether in the State or elsewhere, against any person for an offence with which the property is connected, or

(b) any application undersection 2Bfor its forfeiture,

whichever later occurs.

(6) Subject tosubsection (5), a judge of the Circuit Court may cancel an order undersubsection (3)of this section if satisfied, on application by the person from whom the property was seized or any other person, that its further detention is no longer justified.]

2B. F2[ Forfeiture of bribe.

2B.—(1) A judge of the Circuit Court may order any gift or consideration which is detained undersection 2Aof this Act to be forfeited if satisfied, on application made by or on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, that it is a gift or consideration referred to in section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, as amended bysection 2of this Act.

(2) An order may be made under this section whether or not proceedings are brought against any person for an offence with which the gift or consideration in question is connected.

(3) The standard of proof in proceedings under this section is that applicable in civil proceedings.]

2C. F3[Application of sections 40, 41, 42 and 45 of Act of 1994 to certain property.

2C.—Sections 40 (appeal against forfeiture order), 41 (interest on cash detained), 42 (procedure) and 45 (disposal of forfeited cash) of the Act of 1994 shall apply in relation to cash and, as appropriate, to any other gift or consideration detained undersection 2A, or forfeited undersection 2B, of this Act as they apply in relation to cash detained or forfeited under section 38 or 39 of that Act.]

3. Presumption of corruption from failure to disclose political donations.

3.—(1) Where in any proceedings against a person to whom this section applies for an offence under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, 1889, as amended, or the Act of 1906, as amended, it is proved that—

(a) the person received a donation exceeding in value the relevant amount specified in the Electoral Act, 1997, or the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act, 1999, as appropriate,

(b) the person failed to disclose the donation in accordance with that Act to the Public Offices Commission or the local authority concerned as appropriate, and

(c) the donor had an interest in the person doing any act or making any omission in relation to his or her office or position or his or her principal's affairs or business,

the donation shall be deemed to have been given and received corruptly as an inducement to or reward for the person doing any act or making any omission in relation to his or her office or position or his or her principal’s affairs or business unless the contrary is proved.

(2) This section applies to the following:

(a) a person required by section 24 of the Electoral Act, 1997, to furnish a donation statement to the Public Offices Commission,

(b) a person required by section 13 of the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act, 1999, to furnish to the local authority concerned a statement of donations under subsection (1) of that section.

(3) In this section—

“donation”

(a) in relation to persons referred to in section 24 of the Electoral Act, 1997, has the meaning assigned to it by section 22 of that Act,

(b) in relation to persons referred to in section 13 of the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act, 1999, has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 of that Act;

“donor” means the person who makes a donation or on whose behalf a donation is made.

4. Presumption of corruption.

4.—(1) Where in any proceedings against a person referred to in subsection (5)(b) of section 1 (inserted by section 2 of this Act) of the Act of 1906 for an offence under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, 1889, as amended, or the Act of 1906, as amended, it is proved that—

(a) any gift, consideration or advantage has been given to or received by a person,

(b) the person who gave the gift, consideration or advantage or on whose behalf the gift, consideration or advantage was given had an interest in the discharge by the person of any of the functions specified in this section,

the gift or consideration or advantage shall be deemed to have been given and received corruptly as an inducement to or reward for the person performing or omitting to perform any of the functions aforesaid unless the contrary is proved.

(2) This section applies to the following functions:

(a) the granting, refusal, withdrawal or revocation by a Minister or an officer of a Minister or by any other person employed by or acting on behalf of the public administration of the State by or under any statute of any licence, permit, certificate, authorisation or similar permission,

(b) the making of any decision relating to the acquisition or sale of property by a Minister or an officer of a Minister or by any other person employed by or acting on behalf of the public administration of the State,

(c) any functions of a Minister or an officer of a Minister or of any other person employed by, acting on behalf of, or a member of a body that is part of the public administration of the State under the Planning and Development Act, 2000.

(3) In this section—

“functions” includes powers and duties and references to the performance of functions includes as respects powers and duties references to the exercise of functions and the carrying out of duties;

“Minister” means a person who is a Minister of the Government or a Minister of State.

5. Search Warrant.

5.—F4[(1) If a judge of the District Court is satisfied by information on oath of a member of the Garda Síochána, or if a member of the Garda Síochána not below the rank of superintendent is satisfied, that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that evidence of or relating to the commission of an offence or suspected offence under thePrevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2001punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 years or by a more severe penalty (‘an offence’) is to be found in any place, he or she may issue a warrant for the search of that place and any persons found at that place.]

(2) A member of the Garda Síochána not below the rank of superintendent shall not issue a search warrant under this section unless he or she is satisfied—

(a) that the search warrant is necessary for the proper investigation of an offence, and

(b) that circumstances of urgency giving rise to the need for the immediate issue of the search warrant would render it impracticable to apply to a judge of the District Court under this section for the issue of the warrant.

(3) A warrant under this section shall be expressed, and shall operate, to authorise a named member of the Garda Síochána, accompanied by such other members or persons as the member thinks necessary, to enter, within one month of the date of issue of the warrant, if necessary by the use of reasonable force, the place named in the warrant, to search it and any persons found at that place and to seize and to retain anything found at that place, or anything found in the possession of a person present at that place at the time of the search, which the said member reasonably believes to be evidence of or relating to the commission of an offence or suspected offence.

(4) A search warrant issued by a member of the Garda Síochána under this section shall cease to have effect after a period of 24 hours has elapsed from the time of the issue of the warrant.

(5) A member of the Garda Síochána acting under the authority of a warrant under this section may—

(a) require any person present at the place where the search is being carried out to give to the member his or her name and address, and

(b) arrest without warrant any person who—

(i) obstructs or attempts to obstruct that member in the carrying out of his or her duties,

(ii) fails to comply with a requirement under paragraph (a), or

(iii) gives a name or address which the member has reasonable cause for believing is false or misleading.

(6) A person who obstructs or attempts to obstruct a member acting under the authority of a warrant under this section, who fails to comply with a requirement under paragraph (a) of subsection (5), or who gives a false or misleading name or address to a member shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £2,362.69 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both.

(7) The power to issue a warrant under this section is without prejudice to any other power conferred by statute for the issue of a warrant for the search of any place or person.

6. Corruption occurring partially in State.

6.—A person may be tried in the State for an offence under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, 1889, or the Act of 1906, if any of the acts alleged to constitute the offence was committed in the State notwithstanding that other acts constituting the offence were committed outside the State.

7. Corruption occurring outside State.

7.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, where a person F5[(whether or not the person is an agent)] does outside the State an act that, if done in the State, would constitute an offence under F6[the relevant section], he or she shall be guilty of an offence and he or she shall be liable on conviction to the penalty to which he or she would have been liable if he or she had done the act in the State.

F6[(2)Subsection (1)shall apply only where the person concerned is—

(a) an Irish citizen,

(b) an individual who is ordinarily resident in the State,

(c) a company registered under the Companies Acts,

(d) any other body corporate established under a law of the State, or

(e) a relevant agent in any case where the relevant agent does not fall within any ofparagraphs (a)to(d).

(3) In this section—

‘agent’has the meaning assigned to it by subsection (5) of the relevant section;

‘ordinarily resident in the State’, in relation to an individual, means the individual has had his or her principal residence in the State for the period of 12 months immediately preceding the alleged commission of the offence concerned undersubsection (1);

‘relevant agent’means a person who falls within paragraph (b) of the definition of‘agent’in subsection (5) of the relevant section;

‘relevant section’means section 1 (inserted bysection 2of this Act and as amended bysection 2of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2010) of the Act of 1906.]

8. Corruption in office.

8.—(1) A public official who does any act in relation to his or her office or position for the purpose of corruptly obtaining a gift, consideration or advantage for himself, herself or any other person, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £2,362.69 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both.

(2) In this section—

“consideration” includes valuable consideration of any kind;

“public official” means a person referred to in subsection (5)(b) of section 1 (inserted by section 2 of this Act) of the Act of 1906.

8A. F7[ Protection for persons (including employees) reporting offences under Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2010.

8A.—(1) A person who, apart from this section, would be so liable shall not be liable in damages in respect of the communication, whether in writing or otherwise, by the person to an appropriate person of his or her opinion that an offence under thePrevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2010may have been or may be being committed unless—

(a) in communicating his or her opinion to that appropriate person did so—

(i) knowing it to be false, misleading, frivolous or vexatious, or

(ii) reckless as to whether it was false, misleading, frivolous or vexatious,

or

(b) in connection with the communication of his or her opinion to that appropriate person, furnished information that he or she knew to be false or misleading.

(2) The reference insubsection (1)to liability in damages shall be construed as including a reference to liability to any other form of relief.

F8[(2A)Subsection (1)does not apply to a communication, or furnishing of information, that is a protected disclosure within the meaning of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014.]

(3) A person who makes a communication undersubsection (1), which the person knows to be false, that a person may have committed or may be committing an offence under thePrevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2010shall be guilty of an offence.