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Investigations and special reports.
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18.— (1) A national authority may at any time direct any of its staff or any other person to—
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(a) investigate the causes and circumstances surrounding any injury to health or damage to the environment or any other activity to which the relevant chemicals statutory provisions relate, and
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(b) submit a report (in this Act referred to as a “ special report ”) of the investigation to that national authority.
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(2) A person, who is not an inspector, carrying out an investigation under this section shall, for the purposes of the investigation, have all the powers of an inspector under this Act.
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(3) In the case of a person directed to carry out an investigation and make a special report (other than a member of the staff of the national authority concerned), that national authority may pay to the person such fees and expenses as the Minister or any relevant Minister may, with the approval of the Minister for Finance, determine.
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(4) The national authority may, to the extent that the Minister or any relevant Minister may determine, discharge the costs, other than those to which subsection (3) applies, if any, incurred in the preparation of a special report.
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(5) A copy of a special report shall be submitted as soon as practicable after the completion of an investigation to the Minister and to any relevant Minister.
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(6) The national authority may publish a special report, and, if the Minister, upon consultation with a relevant Minister, directs, it shall publish the special report.
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