12.— (1) IFI shall consist of 9 members appointed by the Minister of whom—

(a) one shall be appointed by the Minister as chairperson,

(b) in accordance with subsection (3), 3 shall be appointed by the Minister,

(c) one shall be appointed on the nomination of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government,

(d) one shall be appointed on the nomination of the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs,

(e) 2 shall be appointed on the Minister’s own nomination, and

(f) one shall be a member of staff of IFI appointed following an election in accordance with section 13.

(2) Subject to subsections (7) and (8) of section 23, the chief executive shall be an ex-officio member of IFI.

(3) Where an appointment is to be made by the Minister under subsection (1)(b) or under that paragraph arising from a vacancy referred to in section 19(2)—

(a) the Minister shall inform the Joint Oireachtas Committee of the proposed appointment,

(b) the Minister in respect of an appointment under subsection (1)(a), (c), (d) and (e) shall provide a statement to the Joint Oireachtas Committee indicating the relevant experience and expertise of the person or persons appointed by the Minister, and such other matters as the Minister, after consultation with the Joint Oireachtas Committee, considers relevant,

(c) the Joint Oireachtas Committee shall within the period of 90 days of being so informed, advise the Minister of the names of the persons or the person it proposes that the Minister should appoint under subsection (1) (b) giving reasons, such as relevant experience and expertise, in relation to the proposed named person or persons,

(d) the Minister shall have regard to the advice and may accept the proposed named persons or some of them or the named person or decide to nominate as he or she sees fit other persons or another person, and

(e) inform the Joint Oireachtas Committee of his or her decision.

(4) The Minister shall, insofar as is practicable, endeavour to ensure that there is an equitable balance between men and women in the composition of IFI.

(5) A person shall not be appointed by the Minister to be a member of IFI unless he or she has had experience of or shown capacity in one or more of the following areas—

(a) agriculture or riparian land ownership,

(b) aquaculture,

(c) business or commercial affairs,

(d) commercial fishing,

(e) environmental/biodiversity matters,

(f) fish processing,

(g) fisheries ownership,

(h) legal or regulatory affairs,

(i) matters pertaining to disability,

(j) recreational fisheries (including river and sea angling),

(k) regional development, and

(l) tourism,

and shall be appointed with a view to representing the public interest in respect of inland fisheries matters including sea angling.

(6) The Joint Oireachtas Committee for the purposes of providing advice to the Minister under subsection (3) may establish a panel, for such duration, and consisting of such number of persons as the Joint Oireachtas Committee thinks proper.

(7) Persons placed on a panel established under subsection (6) shall have experience of or have shown capacity in one or more of the areas stated in subsection (5) and shall be chosen with a view to representing the public interest in respect of inland fisheries matters including sea angling.

(8) The Joint Oireachtas Committee shall, insofar as is practicable, endeavour to ensure that among the persons placed on a panel under subsection (6) there is an equitable balance between men and women.

(9) The Joint Oireachtas Committee shall have sole responsibility for the drawing up and placing of candidates on a panel established under subsection (6).

(10) In respect of an appointment to be made under subsection (1)(f), the Minister may, following consultation with such trade union representatives as he or she considers appropriate, appoint a person to IFI on a temporary basis, until such time as the Minister is in a position to appoint a person elected in accordance with section 13.