14.— (1) Where an account information order or account monitoring order relates to information concerning an account or accounts in a financial institution in a designated state, the Director of Public Prosecutions may send the order to the Central Authority for transmission to a competent authority in that state, together with a request by the Director for the supply of the information to which the order relates.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Director may make a request directly to a competent authority in a designated state for the supply of any information to which an account information order or account monitoring order could relate if a criminal investigation is taking place in the State and the Director has reasonable grounds for believing—

(a) that a financial institution or financial institutions in the designated state may have information which is required for the purposes of the investigation, and

(b) that it is in the public interest that any such information should be disclosed for those purposes, having regard to the benefit likely to accrue to the investigation and any other relevant circumstances.

(3) Any request under this section shall include—

(a) a statement by the Director that an investigation is taking place into a specified offence and that the person mentioned in the request is the subject of the investigation, and

(b) the following information:

(i) why the Director considers that the requested information is likely to be of substantial value for the purposes of the investigation;

(ii) why he or she considers that a financial institution or financial institutions in the designated state may keep the account or accounts concerned;

(iii) if available, the name or names of that institution or those institutions;

(iv) the maximum period of imprisonment to which a person of full capacity and not previously convicted is liable on conviction for the offence;

(v) the content of subsections (4) and (5); and

(vi) any other information that may facilitate compliance with the request.

(4) Information obtained in response to a request under this section shall not, without the consent of the competent authority, be used for any purpose other than that permitted by the relevant international instrument.

(5) When any such information is no longer required for that purpose (or for any other purpose for which such consent has been obtained), it shall be returned to the competent authority unless the authority indicates that it need not be returned.