23.— (1) A director of the Agency (including the chief executive) immediately ceases to hold office on—

(a) being nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) being elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament,

(c) being regarded, pursuant to section 19 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997, as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy, or

(d) becoming a member of a local authority.

(2) A member of staff of the Agency is immediately seconded from employment with the Agency on—

(a) being nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

(b) being elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament, or

(c) being regarded, pursuant to section 19 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997, as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy.

(3) No remuneration or allowances are payable by the Agency in respect of the secondment period to a person seconded under subsection (2) from employment, and that period is not to be counted as service with the Agency for the purposes of any superannuation benefit.

(4) In relation to a person seconded under subsection (2) from employment, the secondment period begins on the occurrence of the relevant event referred to in that subsection and ends when the person ceases to be a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament.

(5) A person who is entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit in that House or who is a member of the European Parliament is, while so entitled or such a member, not eligible to become a director of the Agency or to be employed in any capacity by the Agency.