48.—(1) A Minister of the Government shall establish a committee (which shall be known as “a monitoring committee”) in respect of the public bodies in relation to which he or she is the relevant Minister.

(2) Subject to subsection (7) a public body shall, not later than 31 March in each year, draw up a report in writing in relation to its compliance with this Part during the preceding year and submit it to the relevant monitoring committee.

(3) A monitoring committee shall monitor and, in consultation with the Authority, encourage compliance with this Part by the public bodies in respect of which it was established.

(4) A monitoring committee shall consist of not less than 5 members who shall be appointed by the relevant Minister concerned and of whom—

(a) at least one is an officer of the relevant Minister,

(b) one is representative of persons with disabilities and who may be a member of the staff of a public body,

(c) one is representative of public bodies as employers or of employers generally, and

(d) one is representative of employees of the public bodies concerned or of employees generally.

(5) A monitoring committee shall—

(a) appoint its chairperson,

(b) meet not less than 3 times each year,

(c) subject to paragraph (b), determine its own procedures, and

(d) subject to subsection (7), not later than 30 June in each year, draw up a report in writing in relation to compliance with section 47 during the preceding year by the public body or bodies concerned and submit it to the Authority and the relevant Minister by whom it was established.

(6) (a) A report referred to in subsection (2) or (5)(d) shall be in such form, and contain such particulars, as the Authority in consultation with the relevant Minister, may direct.

(b) In performing its functions under this section, the Authority shall have regard to section 15(2) of the Act of 1999.

(7) The first reports under subsections (2) and (5)(d) shall be in respect of the period from the commencement of this section to the end of the year following such commencement and the reference in subsection (2) to 31 March in each year and in subsection (5)(d) to 30 June in each year shall, in relation to those reports, be construed as references, respectively, to 31 March in the year following such commencement and 30 June in that year.