26.— (1) A person who for the purpose of an application to the Board for an arrangement or grant for himself or herself or for any other person—

(a) makes any statement or representation (whether written or oral) which is to his or her knowledge false or misleading in any material respect, or is reckless as to whether such statement or representation is false or misleading, or

(b) furnishes or causes or knowingly allows to be furnished, any document or information which he or she knows to be false in a material respect or is reckless as to whether such document or information is so false or misleading,

to a member of the Board, the chief executive, a member of staff of the Board, an appeals officer, any staff of the appeals officer or a decision maker is guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a class C fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €13,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years, or to both.