33.—(1) The Council may establish committees to assist and advise it in relation to the performance of any of its functions.

(2) The Council may delegate to a committee any of its functions which, in its opinion, can be better or more conveniently performed by a committee.

(3) A committee established under this section may include or consist of persons who are not members of the Council but who have particular expertise in relation to the field of special educational needs.

(4) Members of a committee—

(a) shall be appointed subject to such terms and conditions, and

(b) may be paid by the Council such allowances (if any) for expenses incurred by them in the discharge of their functions,

as the Council may determine, subject to the consent of the Minister.

(5) The Council may, subject to this Act, determine the terms of reference and regulate, by standing orders or otherwise, the procedures and business of a committee including the filling of casual vacancies, but, subject to any such regulation, a committee may regulate its own procedures.

(6) A committee shall appoint, from time to time, a chairperson from among its members.

(7) The Chief Executive Officer may—

(a) opt to be a member of a committee, or

(b) in lieu of his or her opting to be such a member, may nominate, with that other's consent, another to be such a member,

and where the Chief Executive Officer so opts or nominates another, the Chief Executive Officer or the other person, as the case may be, shall be deemed to stand appointed as a member of the committee but shall not be entitled to cast a vote in respect of any matter falling to be decided by the committee.

(8) A member of a committee may be removed by the Council at any time for stated reasons.

(9) The Council may at any time dissolve a committee established by it.

(10) The Council shall have regard to the desirability of such gender balance in the membership of a committee under this section as the Minister considers appropriate and determines, from time to time, when making appointments to a committee.

(11) A committee shall provide the Council with such information as the Council may from time to time require, in respect of the committee's activities and operation, for the purposes of the performance by the Council of its functions.