Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 21(1) reads: "The Board shall be the governing body of the Agency with authority, in the name of the Agency, to perform the functions of the Agency." This is clear and unequivocal. I am satisfied that references to the agency in this context are to its board. Therefore, it is not necessary to insert a reference to the board where there is already a reference to the agency. When this subsection is read with the rest of section 21, it is clear that the board has the power, in the name of the agency, to perform the agency's functions.