(1) No person shall be allowed to inspect any of the documents mentioned in subsection (2) except under an order of the High Court.

(2) The documents referred to in subsection (1) are—

(a) the counterfoils of the ballot papers sent to postal voters under section 68,
(b) the counterfoils of the ballot papers delivered to special voters under section 82,
(c) the documents referred to in subsections (2) and (3) of section 76, and
(d) the documents referred to in subsection (1) of section 129.

(3) An order referred to in subsection (1) shall not be made unless the court is satisfied that the inspection or production of such documents is required for the purposes of instituting or maintaining a prosecution for an offence under this Act or for the purpose of a petition.

(4) An order referred to in subsection (1) may be made subject to such conditions as to persons, time and place and mode of inspection or production as the court may think expedient and shall make provision to ensure that the manner in which any voter voted shall not be disclosed.

(5) Where an order of a court (including an order under subsection (1)) is made for the production by the Clerk* of the Dáil of any document in that officer's possession relating to a Dáil election, the production of that document accompanied by the certificate of the Clerk that the document relates to the specified election shall be prima facie evidence of the fact so certified and it shall not be necessary to prove the signature of the Clerk or the official position of the person signing the certificate. Unless the court so orders, it shall not be necessary for the Clerk to attend in person to attest to any matter relating to the document or certificate.

(6) Any endorsement appearing on any packet produced pursuant to subsection (5) shall be, until the contrary is shown, sufficient evidence that the contents of the packet are as stated in the endorsement.