Official Secrets Act, 1963

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Retention of documents and articles.

6.—(1) A person shall not retain any official document or anything which constitutes or contains official information when he has no right to retain it or when not required by his duty as the holder of a public office to retain it.

(2) A person shall comply with all directions issued by a Minister or the Secretary of a Department or any person authorised by a Minister under seal as to the return or disposal of any official document or anything which constitutes or contains official information and which is in his possession or under his control and is specified or indicated in such directions.

(3) The Taoiseach may give directions as to the return or disposal of any original documents specified or indicated in such directions which constitute or contain official information and which are in the possession or under the control of any person who formerly held office as a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary and any such person shall comply with all such directions.

(4) Subsections (1) and (2) shall not apply to a person who formerly held an office to which subsection (3) applies.