34.—(1) Where the Chairperson or other member of the Board, the secretary of the Board or a consultant or adviser engaged by the Board F15[or an employee of the Board or a person of whose services the Board has availed itself pursuant to section 35C] has a pecuniary or other beneficial interest in, or material to, any appeal or matter to be considered by the Board, he or she shall—

(a) disclose to the Board the nature of the interest in advance of any consideration of the appeal or matter,

(b) neither influence nor seek to influence a decision in relation to the appeal or matter,

(c) take no part in any consideration of the appeal or matter, or

(d) withdraw from the meeting of the Board for so long as the appeal is being considered or matter discussed by the Board and shall not vote or otherwise participate in the determination of the appeal or consideration of the matter or, in the case of a member, be counted towards a quorum at the meeting during that time.

(2) For the purposes of this section, but without limiting the generality of subsection (1), a person shall be regarded as having a beneficial interest if—

(a) the person or any member of the person's household, or any nominee of the person or of any member of his or her household, is a member of a company or other body which has a beneficial interest in, or material to, a matter referred to in that subsection,

(b) the person or any member of the person's household is in partnership with or is in the employment of a person who has a beneficial interest in, or material to, such a matter,

(c) the person or any member of the person's household is a party to any arrangement or agreement (whether or not enforceable) concerning land to which such a matter relates, or

(d) any member of the person's household has a beneficial interest in, or material to, such a matter.

(3) For the purposes of this section, a person shall not be regarded as having a beneficial interest in, or material to, a matter by reason only of an interest of the person or of a company or other body or person mentioned in subsection (2) which is so remote or insignificant that it cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to influence a person in considering or discussing, or in voting on, a question in respect of a matter arising or coming before the Board or in performing a function in relation to such a matter.

(4) Where a question arises as to whether or not a course of conduct, if pursued by a person, would be a failure by the person to comply with the requirements of subsection (1), the question shall be determined by the Board and particulars of the determination shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting concerned.

(5) Where a disclosure is made to the Board pursuant to subsection (1), particulars of the disclosure shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting concerned.

F16[(6) Where the Minister is satisfied that a member of the Board has failed to comply with subsection (1), the Minister may, if he or she thinks fit, remove that member from office or take such other action as he or she considers appropriate and, in case a person is removed from office pursuant to this subsection, he or she shall thereafter be disqualified from membership of the Board.

(7) Where the Board is satisfied that a person who is not a member of the Board has failed to comply with subsection (1), the Board shall decide the appropriate action (including removal from office or termination of contract) to be taken.

(8) For the purposes of this section a person shall not be regarded as having an interest in any matter by reason only of an interest of that person, or of any company in which he or she has an interest, which is so remote or insignificant that it cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to influence a person in considering, discussing or in voting on, any question relating to the matter, or in performing any function in relation to that matter. ]