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Warrant required to enter premises
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21. (1) Without prejudice to the powers conferred on an authorised officer by or under any other provision of this Part, if a judge of the District Court is satisfied on the sworn information of the authorised officer that there are reasonable grounds for believing that records are to be found on, at or in any premises, the judge may issue a warrant authorising an authorised officer accompanied by such other authorised officers or members of the Garda Síochána as may be necessary, at any time or times within the period of validity of the warrant, on production, if so requested, of the warrant—
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(a) to enter the premises specified in the warrant, if need be by reasonable force, and
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(b) to exercise the powers conferred on authorised officers by this Part or such of those powers as are specified in the warrant.
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(2) The period of validity of a warrant shall be one month from its date of issue but that period of validity may be extended in accordance with subsection (3) and (4).
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(3) The authorised officer may, during the period of validity of a warrant (including such period as previously extended under subsection (4)), apply to a judge of the District Court for an order extending the period of validity of the warrant and such an application shall be grounded upon information on oath laid by the authorised officer stating, by reference to the purpose or purposes for which the warrant was issued, the reasons why the authorised officer considers the extension to be necessary.
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(4) If the judge of the District Court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing, having regard to that information so laid, that further time is needed so that the purpose or purposes for which the warrant was issued can be fulfilled, the judge may make an order extending the period of validity of the warrant by such period as, in the opinion of the judge, is appropriate and just; and where such an order is made, the judge shall cause the warrant to be suitably endorsed to indicate its extended period of validity.
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(5) Nothing in the preceding subsections prevents a judge of the District Court from issuing, on foot of a fresh application made under subsection (1), a further search warrant under this section in relation to the same premises.
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