19.—(1) Save as otherwise provided by law and subsection (3), a person shall not, without the consent of the Board, disclose confidential information obtained by him or her while performing (or as a result of having performed) duties as—

(a) a member of the Board,

(b) Chief Executive,

(c) a member of the staff of the Authority,

(d) a member of a committee established pursuant to section 13,

(e) an adviser or consultant to the Authority or an employee of such person whilst performing duties relating to such advice or consultation.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of €2,000.

(3) Nothing in subsection (1) shall prohibit the disclosure of information by means of a report made—

(a) to the Board, or

(b) by or on behalf of the Board to the Minister.

(4) In this section “confidential information” includes information that is expressed by the Board or a committee of the Board, as the case may be, to be confidential either as regards particular information or as regards information of a particular class or description.

(5) The First Schedule to the Freedom of Information Act, 1997 is amended by the insertion in subparagraph (2) of paragraph 1 at the end thereof of the following:

“Sustainable Energy Ireland — The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.”.