59.—(1) In this section—

“firm” means a partnership, a corporate or unincorporated body or a self-employed individual;

“relevant person” means a person—

(a) who audits the accounts of a firm, or

(b) who otherwise with a view to reward assists or advises a firm in the preparation or delivery of any information, or of any declaration, return, account or other document, which the person knows will be, or is likely to be, used for the purpose of keeping or auditing the accounts of the firm,

but does not include an employee of a firm who—

(i) in that capacity so assists or advises the firm, and

(ii) whose income from so doing consists solely of emoluments chargeable to income tax under Schedule E, as defined in section 19 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997.

(2) Where the accounts of a firm, or as the case may be any information or document mentioned in subsection (1)(b), indicate that—

(a) an offence under this Act (other than sections 8, 12 to 15, 49(1) and 52(8)) may have been committed by the firm concerned, or

(b) such an offence may have been committed in relation to its affairs by a partner in the firm or, in the case of a corporate or unincorporated body, by a director, manager, secretary or other employee thereof, or by the self-employed individual concerned,

the relevant person shall, notwithstanding any professional obligations of privilege or confidentiality, report that fact to a member of the Garda Síochána.

(3) A disclosure in a report made in good faith by a relevant person to a member of the Garda Síochána under subsection (2) shall not be treated as a breach of any restriction imposed by statute or otherwise or involve the person in liability of any kind.

(4) A person who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the duty imposed by subsection (2) is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.