section 26FA to disclose the Ombudsman's intention to conduct an investigation. S. 17(1B) (1B) The Ombudsman must not inform a person under inserted by subsection (1) if doing so would result in No. 85/2012 information being disclosed that— s. 153(2). (a) is likely to lead to the identification of a person who has made an assessable disclosure; and (b) is not information to which section 53(2)(a), (c) or (d) of the Protected Disclosure Act 2012 applies. (2) Every investigation under this Act shall be conducted in private. (3) Subject to any Rules of Parliament under this S. 17(3) amended by Act the Ombudsman is not required to hold any Nos 35/1996 hearing for the purposes of an investigation, and s. 453(Sch. 1 item 62.2), the Ombudsman may obtain information from 18/2005 s. 18(Sch. 1 such persons and in such manner as the item 73.2), Ombudsman thinks fit. 82/2012 s. 232(2), 30/2016 s. 70(2)(t). S. 17(4) (4) If at any time during an investigation it appears substituted by to the Ombudsman that there may be grounds No. 82/2012 s. 232(3), for making a report adverse to an authority or a amended by protected disclosure entity, the Ombudsman must, No. 85/2012 before making the report, give the principal s. 153(3). officer (if any) of the authority or protected disclosure entity the opportunity to comment on the subject-matter of the investigation. (4A) If at any time during the course of an investigation S. 17(4A) inserted by on a relevant protected disclosure complaint No. 85/2012 about a Councillor it appears to the Ombudsman s. 153(4). that there may be grounds for making a report adverse to the Councillor, the Ombudsman must, before making the report, give the responsible
section 26FA to disclose the Ombudsman's intention to conduct an investigation. S. 17(1B) inserted by No. 85/2012 s. 153(2). (1B) The Ombudsman must not inform a person under subsection (1) if doing so would result in information being disclosed that— (a) is likely to lead to the identification of a person who has made an assessable disclosure; and (b) is not information to which section 53(2)(a), (c) or (d) of the Protected Disclosure Act 2012 applies. (2) Every investigation under this Act shall be conducted in private. S. 17(3) amended by Nos 35/1996 s. 453(Sch. 1 item 62.2), 18/2005 s. 18(Sch. 1 item 73.2), 82/2012 s. 232(2), 30/2016 s. 70(2)(t). (3) Subject to any Rules of Parliament under this Act the Ombudsman is not required to hold any hearing for the purposes of an investigation, and the Ombudsman may obtain information from such persons and in such manner as the Ombudsman thinks fit. S. 17(4) substituted by No. 82/2012 s. 232(3), amended by No. 85/2012 s. 153(3). (4) If at any time during an investigation it appears to the Ombudsman that there may be grounds for making a report adverse to an authority or a protected disclosure entity, the Ombudsman must, before making the report, give the principal officer (if any) of the authority or protected disclosure entity the opportunity to comment on the subject-matter of the investigation. S. 17(4A) inserted by No. 85/2012 s. 153(4). (4A) If at any time during the course of an investigation on a relevant protected disclosure complaint about a Councillor it appears to the Ombudsman that there may be grounds for making a report adverse to the Councillor, the Ombudsman must, before making the report, give the responsible
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