20.—(1) Where a member of the Authority—

(a) accepts nomination as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) is elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or to be a representative in the European Parliament, or

(c) is regarded under Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 as having been elected to that Parliament,

he or she shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Authority.

(2) Where the Chief Executive or a member of the staff of the Authority is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann, or

(b) elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or to be a representative in the European Parliament, or

(c) regarded under the said Part XIII as having been elected to that Parliament,

he or she shall thereupon stand seconded from employment by the Authority and shall not be paid by, or be entitled to receive from, the Authority any remuneration or allowances in respect of the period commencing on such nomination, election or the date on which he or she is regarded as having been so elected and ending on the date on which he or she ceases to be a member of either such House or a representative in that Parliament.

(3) A person who is for the time being entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein or who is a representative in the European Parliament shall, while so entitled or such a representative, be disqualified for appointment as a member or Chief Executive of the Authority or for employment by the Authority in any capacity.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), that subsection shall be construed as prohibiting, inter alia, the reckoning of a period mentioned in that subsection as service with the Authority for the purposes of any pensions, gratuities or other allowances payable on resignation, retirement or death.