Peace Commissioner (Irish: Coimisinéir Síochána) is an honorary position in Ireland with special powers to make statutory declarations and witness signatures on documents under various Acts of the Oireachtas.
[1][2] The Courts of Justice Act 1924 gives Peace Commissioners the power to issue summons and warrants.
[4] Peace Commissioners are primarily used to issue summons and search warrants to the Gardaí (although their constitutionality has been challenged), witness signatures on documents, take statutory declarations and sign certificates and orders.
Nominations are generally received from public representatives, and a Garda superintendent may sometimes request an appointment in their district as the need arises.
Solicitors, people employed in legal offices, and members of the clergy are, as a matter of practice, not appointed because their occupation may cause a conflict of interest.
[citation needed] A stamp is not required by the Minister for Justice,[9] but, in practice, agencies often reject stamp-less documents.
It is customary for Peace Commissioners to use the abbreviation PC after their name to make themselves known when requested by the Garda and members of the public to discharge their duties.