(1) In this section -
"competent person" means a person employed by a public authority and includes an immigration officer who is deemed to have been appointed as such an officer under section 3 of the Immigration Act 2004;
"public authority" means -
(a) a Minister of the Government,
(b) the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland,
(c) a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 2001,
(d) the Health Service Executive,
(e) a harbour authority within the meaning of the Harbours Act 1946,
(f) a board or other body (not being a company) established by or under statute,
(g) a company in which all the shares are held by, or on behalf of, or by directors appointed by, a Minister of the Government, or
(h) a company in which all the shares are held by a board or other body referred to in paragraph (f), or by a company referred to in paragraph (g).
(2) A person who makes a statement to a competent person in the course of the performance of the competent person’s official
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