At the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer shall present to the Director a written report of its findings and recommendations. The report shall contain a finding of whether or not the accused applicant, agency, or technician violated this Act or failed to comply with the conditions required in this Act. The hearing officer shall specify the nature of the violation or failure to comply, and shall make its recommendations to the Director.
     The report of the findings and recommendations of the hearing officer shall be the basis for the Department’s order of refusal or for the granting of certification unless the Director determines that the hearing officer’s report is contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence, in which case the Director may issue an order in contravention of the hearing officer’s report. The finding is not admissible in evidence against the applicant, agency, or technician in a criminal prosecution brought for the violation of this Act, but the hearing and finding are not a bar to a criminal prosecution brought for the violation of this Act.