Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 6, after line 32, to insert the following:

“Appointment of Director General of Agency 5. The Act of 1992 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 20:

“20A. (1)The Director General of the Agency shall be appointed by the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, in accordance with this section.

(2) The Minister shall, as required, request the Public Appointments Service to undertake a selection process for the purpose of identifying and recommending to the Minister persons who are suitable for appointment under subsection (1).

(3) Where the Public Appointments Service receives a request from the Minister, it shall undertake a selection process and recommend to the Minister, from among the persons who participated in the process, a maximum of 3 persons whom it is satisfied are suitable for appointment under subsection (1).

(4) The Minister may agree with the Public Appointments Service or may, following consultation with the Public Appointments Service, prescribe the selection criteria that are to apply to the selection process.

(5) The Minister shall, in performing the functions under subsection (4), have regard to the general suitability, and the special knowledge, experience and qualifications, required of a person in order to ensure the functions of the Director General are performed effectively.

(6) The Public Appointments Service shall provide the Minister with particulars of the suitability, relevant knowledge, experience and qualifications, of each person whom it recommends under subsection (3).

(7) Other than in the case of reappointment under section 21(13), the Minister shall not appoint a person to be the Director General unless the person is recommended by the Public Appointments Service in accordance with a request under this section.

(8) The Minister may make regulations to provide for—

(a) procedures relating to the application and selection process,

(b) selection criteria, in accordance with subsection (4), and

(c) such other matter as the Minister considers incidental, supplementary or consequential to the purposes of this section.”.”.