13. —(1) There shall be a chief officer of the Foundation who shall be known, and is referred to in this Act, as the Director General.

(2) Subject to subsection (9), the Director General shall be appointed by the Board.

(3) The Director General shall hold office for such term being not more than a period of 5 years and upon and subject to such terms and conditions (including remuneration) as the Board, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, may determine.

(4) The Director General may be re-appointed for a second term.

(5) The Director General shall, for the duration of his or her appointment, become an ex officio member of the Board and the board of Forfás.

(6) The Director General shall carry on and manage and control generally the administration and business of the Foundation and shall perform such other functions as may be determined by the Board.

(7) The Director General shall not hold any other office or position or carry on any business without the consent of the Board.

(8) For the purposes of appointing the person to be the Director General appointed immediately after the establishment day, the Minister may, before the establishment day, designate a person to be appointed under this section immediately after the establishment day.

(9) If a person has been designated in accordance with subsection (8) the Board shall, for the purposes of appointing the first person to be the Director General immediately after the establishment day, appoint that person to be the Director General.