15. (1) The Minister may, where he or she considers it necessary in the public interest to do so for the performance of his or her functions (whether under this Act or otherwise), require the Agency to furnish him or her with such information or documents as he or she may specify that are in the Agency’s procurement, possession or control, and the Agency shall do so within any period that the Minister may specify and, in any event, without delay.

F14[(1A) The Minister for Education may, where he or she considers it necessary in the public interest to do so for the performance of his or her functions (whether under this Act or otherwise), require the Agency to furnish him or her with such information or documents as he or she may specify that are in the Agency’s procurement, possession or control, and the Agency shall do so within any period that the Minister for Education may specify and, in any event, without delay.]

(2) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, which would require obtaining the consent of a person in order for the Agency to furnish the Minister with information or documents referred to in subsection (1) F14[or the Minister for Education with information or documents referred to in subsection (1A)], shall operate to prohibit or render such furnishing unlawful.

(3) Nothing contained in an enactment, and no rule of law, relating to the non-disclosure or confidentiality of information or documents, shall operate to prohibit the Agency from furnishing the Minister F14[or the Minister for Education] with information or documents under this section, or render such furnishing unlawful.

(4) Nothing contained in an enactment and no rule of law, relating to the hearing of proceedings otherwise than in public shall operate to—

(a) prohibit the Agency from furnishing the Minister F14[or the Minister for Education], under this section, with information or documents prepared in relation to, or given in evidence in, such proceedings, whether such proceedings were brought before or after the establishment day, or

(b) render such furnishing unlawful.