9.—(1) The Council is to consist of a chairperson and ordinary members, all of whom are to be appointed by the Minister in accordance with this section.

(2) A registrant is not eligible to be appointed chairperson of the Council.

(3) The following are to be appointed as ordinary members:

(a) for each designated profession, one person F10[(referred to in this Act as a "professional member")] who, subject to subsections (6) and (7)—

(i) is an elected member of the registration board of the designated profession concerned, and

(ii) is nominated by that board for appointment to the Council;

(b) 9 persons of whom—

(i) one is representative of the management of the public health sector, the public social care sector or both sectors,

(ii) one is representative of the management of a voluntary or private sector organisation concerned with health or social care,

(iii) one is representative of third level educational establishments involved in the education and training of persons with respect to the practice of the designated professions and is nominated by the Minister for Education and Science, and

(iv) 6 are representative of the interest of the general public and are appointed with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment;

(c) 3 persons who have such qualifications, interests and experience as, in the opinion of the Minister, would be of value to the Council in performing its functions.

(4) Before appointing a chairperson under subsection (1) or an ordinary member under subsection (3)(b)(i) or (ii) or (c) or subsection (6), the Minister shall consult with any organisations that he or she considers appropriate.

(5) Persons appointed to represent the interests of the general public may include members of advocacy groups and users of services provided by the designated professions.

F11[(6) The Minister shall, in the circumstances described in subsection (7), appoint as a professional member for a designated profession, instead of a person who meets the criteria in subsection (3)(a), a person who is engaged—

(a) in the practice of that profession,

(b) in the education or training of persons with respect to the practice of that profession, or

(c) as a member of that profession, in the management of services provided by that profession.

(7) The circumstances in which the Minister shall make an appointment in accordance with subsection (6) are:

(a) the initial appointment of a professional member to the Council as a result of a health or social care profession F12[being designated in section 4(1) or by regulation under section 4(2)]; or

(b) an appointment of a professional member to the Council F13[to fill a casual vacancy or] when the term of a professional member expires and the registration board of the designated profession in the practice of which those professional members are engaged—

(i) has not been established, or

(ii) has been established but has not conducted an election for members of that registration board in accordance with section 28(2).]

F14[(8) The Council shall elect a deputy chairperson of the Council from amongst its members in accordance with Schedule 1.]

F15[(9) In this section, "casual vacancy" has the same meaning as it has in Schedule 1.]