Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The purpose of amendment No. 39 is to clarify the application of the power under section 13(2) of the Bill regarding searches of persons where that power is used by a customs officer. The purpose of amendment No. 40 is to deal with cases where a psychoactive substance is being imported or exported by post or a courier service. In such a case the powers under sections 12 and 13 cannot apply because the person in question would not be present in the mail centre or other place where the customs officer comes across a package suspected of containing such a substance. The proposed new section fills this gap by giving customs officers the power to open packages or containers suspected of containing psychoactive substances. The other amendments are technical.