44.— Section 4 of the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947 is amended by—

(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):

“(3) The Minister for Finance shall, with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, pay to the Seanad returning officer the amount of his reasonable charges, not exceeding such amount as may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, be sanctioned by that Minister, in respect of the performance by the Seanad returning officer of his duties under this Act out of the Central Fund or the growing producethereof.”,

and

(b) in subsection (3A) (inserted by paragraph (a) of section 57 of the Act of 2001) by the substitution of “with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and after consultation with the Minister” for “after consultation with the Minister”.