332.— (1) The External Oversight Body shall—

(a) as soon as practicable after the establishment day prepare and submit to the Minister a strategy statement in respect of the period of 3 years immediately following the year in which the strategy statement is so submitted, and

(b) during the period of 6 months before the expiry of the period of 3 years to which the statement of strategy for the time being in effect applies, prepare and submit to the Minister a statement of strategy in respect of the period of 3 years immediately following the year in which the first-mentioned statement of strategy expires.

(2) A strategy statement under this section shall include—

(a) the key objectives, outputs and related strategies, including the use of resources, of the External Oversight Body in relation to the period to which the statement relates, and

(b) except in the case of the strategy statement first prepared under this section, a review and an evaluation of the work of the External Oversight Body in the performance of its functions in the previous 3 years.

(3) In preparing a strategy statement under this section, the External Oversight Body shall have regard to—

(a) the need to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of the resources available to it, and

(b) the policies of the Government or any Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies may affect or relate to the functions of the External Oversight Body.

(4) The External Oversight Body shall, before submitting a strategy statement to the Minister under subsection (1)—

(a) publish, in such manner as the External Oversight Body considers appropriate, a draft of the strategy statement,

(b) allow persons 30 days from the date of publication under paragraph (a) within which to make representations in writing to the External Oversight Body with regard to the draft of the strategy statement, and

(c) having considered the representations (if any) made pursuant to paragraph (b), submit the strategy statement to the Minister with or without modifications.

(5) The Minister shall cause a strategy statement received by him or her under subsection (1) to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable after it is received.

(6) The External Oversight Body shall ensure that, as soon as practicable after the strategy statement is laid before each House of the Oireachtas, the strategy statement is published on a website maintained by or on behalf of the External Oversight Body or in such other manner as the External Oversight Body considers appropriate.]