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Illegal occupiers of local authority housing.
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20.—(1) Where—
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(a) a house provided by a housing authority or any part thereof is occupied, whether continuously or otherwise, by a person (other than the tenant or a person who has failed to vacate a house on termination of a tenancy), and
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(b) a member of the Garda Síochána has received notification from the housing authority that the authority believe that the person is or has been engaged in anti-social behaviour and that it is necessary in the interest of good estate management that the said person be required to leave the house,
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a member of the Garda Síochána may direct the person to leave the house immediately in a peaceable and orderly manner and that person shall comply with the direction.
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(2) A person who does not comply with a direction under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both.
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(3) Where a person does not comply with a direction under subsection (1) a member of the Garda Síochána may arrest the person without warrant.
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(4) For the purpose of arresting a person under subsection (3), a member of the Garda Síochána may enter (if need be by use of reasonable force) and search any place (including a dwelling) where the person is or where the member, with reasonable cause, suspects that person to be.
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(5) This section shall not prejudice any power of arrest conferred by law apart from this section.
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