17. —(1) Save as otherwise provided by law and subsection (3), a person shall not, without the consent of the Board, disclose any 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) the Director General,

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

(d) a member of a committee established under section 15, or

(e) an adviser or consultant to the Foundation 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 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000.

F7[(2A) Proceedings in relation to a summary offence under this section may be brought and prosecuted by the Foundation.]

(3) Nothing in subsection (1) shall prevent disclosure of information in a report made to the Foundation or on behalf of the Foundation to the Minister.

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