28.— (1) Where a person who is a member of the staff of the Council (including the chief executive officer) becomes a member of either House of the Oireachtas, the person—

(a) shall stand seconded from being a member of such staff during the period (in this section referred to as the “secondment period”)—

(i) commencing on the date the person becomes entitled under the Standing Orders of that House to sit therein, and

(ii) ending on the date when—

(I) the person ceases to be a member of that House, or

(II) the person ceases to be a member of such staff,

whichever is the earlier,

(b) shall not be paid by, or entitled to receive from, the Council any remuneration or allowance in respect of the secondment period, and

(c) shall not be entitled to reckon the whole or any part of the secondment period for any superannuation benefits payable under this Act.

(2) A person who is for the time being entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein shall, while so entitled, be disqualified from becoming a member of the staff of the Council.