Mr. Ciarán Shanley:

The media commission will be independent in the performance of its functions but it will be accountable for that performance to the Oireachtas. The chair will be accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts while the individual commissioners will be accountable to this committee and perhaps other committees in respect of the exercise of the functions delegated to them. For example, the online safety commissioner in exercising his or her functions could be accountable to this committee and, depending on the issue, the Committee on Justice.

There is a limit of six members on the commission. The Government intends to appoint three initially. There will also be an executive chairperson. The members will be appointed through the Public Appointments Service process and the criteria for a candidate will be set out fully in that process. As other committee members have stated, there is a need for particular commissioners or the executive chairperson to have relevant experience in running an organisation, media experience or technology experience.

As far as I recall, a Member of the Oireachtas cannot be a member of the commission because the commission is required to be independent of other State bodies. That is a requirement under the audiovisual media services directive.