44.—(1) The Minister shall appoint a committee to monitor the effectiveness of the Programme, review all aspects of its operation and monitor the ongoing training needs of facilitators.

(2) The chairperson of the committee shall be an Assistant Commissioner of the Garda Síochána and it shall have 3 other members, of whom one shall be a chief superintendent of the Garda Síochána and the remaining two shall not be members of the Garda Síochána.

(3) The Minister shall consult with the Commissioner in relation to the appointment of members of the Garda Síochána to the committee.

(4) The committee shall have access to and may examine any documents relating to the operation of the Programme and may discuss any aspect of it with the Director and any other person concerned with its operation.

(5) The chairperson and other members of the committee shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and shall be eligible for reappointment.

(6) The committee shall make annually, by such date as the Minister may direct, a report to the Commissioner on its activities during the year and the Commissioner shall, as soon as may be, submit the report to the Minister.

(7) A copy of each such report shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister.

(8) Before laying a report before each House of the Oireachtas pursuant to subsection (7) the Minister may omit material from it where the omission is necessary to avoid the identification of any person.

(9) The terms and conditions of appointment of members of the committee and of any of their allowances or expenses shall be such as may be determined by the Minister with, in the case of any allowances or expenses, the consent of the Minister for Finance.

(10) Subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, a person shall not disclose confidential information obtained by him or her while serving (or as a result of having served) as a member of the committee.

(11) A person who contravenes subsection (10) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500.

(12) In this section “confidential” means that which is expressed to be confidential either as regards particular information or information of a particular class or description.