20.—(1) The National Consultative Committee shall consist of not more than 12 members.

(2) The Minister shall appoint a chairperson of the National Consultative Committee and—

(a) one person who has been nominated to the Minister by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform,

(b) one person who has been nominated to the Minister by the General Council of County Councils,

(c) one person who has been nominated to the Minister by the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland,

(d) 2 persons who have been nominated to the Minister by the County and City Managers' Association,

(e) 3 persons who have been nominated to the Minister by bodies representing travellers and are concerned with the accommodation for travellers as the Minister may determine,

(f) one person from among the officers of the Minister, who is an established civil servant for the purposes of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956, and

(g) 2 persons who, in the opinion of the Minister, have experience in relation to accommodation for travellers or are concerned with the general welfare of travellers,

to be members of the National Consultative Committee.

(3) The bodies referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) of subsection (2) shall, when requested by the Minister, nominate the number of persons for consideration for appointment to the National Consultative Committee as the Minister may specify and make such nominations in accordance with any directions as may be given by the Minister from time to time, including any directions relating to an appropriate gender balance, and shall inform the Minister of the persons so nominated.

(4) The term of office of a member (including the chairperson) of the National Consultative Committee shall not exceed 3 years.

(5) A member of the National Consultative Committee may at any time be removed from office by the Minister if, in the Minister's opinion, the member has become incapable through ill-health of effectively participating in the work of the National Consultative Committee, or has committed stated misbehaviour, or such removal appears to the Minister to be necessary or desirable for the effective performance by the National Consultative Committee of its functions under subsections (1) and (2) of section 19.

(6) A member of the National Consultative Committee may at any time resign his or her office by letter addressed to the Minister and the resignation shall take effect from the date specified therein or upon receipt of the letter by the Minister, whichever is the later.

(7) If a member of the National Consultative Committee dies, resigns or is removed from office, the Minister may appoint a person nominated in the same manner as the member whose death, resignation or removal occasioned the casual vacancy to be a member of the National Consultative Committee to fill the casual vacancy so occasioned and a person so appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term of office of the member whose death, resignation or removal occasioned the casual vacancy.

(8) A member of the National Consultative Committee whose term of office expires by the effluxion of time, including a member appointed to fill a casual vacancy in accordance with subsection (7), shall be eligible for re-appointment as a member of the National Consultative Committee.