31.—(1) The Chief Executive Officer shall, whenever required to do so by a Committee (or a subcommittee of such a committee) appointed by either House of the Oireachtas or jointly by both Houses of the Oireachtas (other than the Committee on Members' Interests of Dáil Éireann or the Committee on Members' Interests of Seanad Éireann) to examine matters relating to the Department of Education and Science, or to disabilities, give evidence to that Committee on the performance, by him or her, or by the employees of the Council, of his or her or their duties in relation to the Council's functions under this Act.

(2) In the performance of his or her duties under this section, the Chief Executive Officer shall not question or express an opinion on the merits of any policy of the Government or a Minister of the Government or on the merits of the objectives of such a policy.