Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878

Entry on lands for purposes of Act.

271. Whenever it becomes necessary for a sanitary authority or any of their officers to enter examine or lay open, any lands or premises for the purpose of making plans surveying measuring taking levels making keeping in repair or examining works, ascertaining the course of sewers or drains, or ascertaining or fixing boundaries, and the owner or occupier of such lands or premises refuses to permit the same to be entered upon, examined, or laid open, for the purposes aforesaid, or any of them, the sanitary authority may, after written notice to such owner or occupier, apply to a court of summary jurisdiction for an order authorising the sanitary authority to enter examine and lay open, the said lands and premises for the purposes aforesaid, or any of them.

If no sufficient cause is shown against the application the court may make an order accordingly, and on such order being made the sanitary authority or any of their officers may, at all reasonable times between the hours of nine in the forenoon and six in the afternoon, enter examine or lay open the lands or premises mentioned in such order, for such of the said purposes as are therein specified, without being subject to any action or molestation for so doing: Provided that, except in case of emergency, no entry shall be made or works commenced under this section unless at least twenty-four hours notice of the intended entry, and of the object thereof, be given to the occupier of the premises intended to be entered.