14.— (1) (a) The Authority may, with the approval of the Minister, appoint such and so many advisory committees and such and so many consultants or advisers as it may consider necessary to assist it in the performance of its functions.

(b) The approval of the Minister under paragraph (a) is subject to the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of fees or expenses to which subsection (3) relates.

(2) The appointment of a person to an advisory committee or as a consultant or adviser shall be for such period and subject to such terms and conditions as the Authority thinks fit.

(3) Any fees or expenses which have been approved by the Minister, with the prior consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and are due to a member of an advisory committee or to a consultant or an adviser shall be paid out of the resources at the disposal of the Authority.

(4) An advisory committee shall include persons who have knowledge or experience in matters relevant to the functions of the committee.

(5) An advisory committee shall consist of a chairperson and such number of other members as the Authority may determine and may include persons who are not members of the Authority or its staff.

(6) The Authority shall, in so far as is practicable and having regard to the knowledge and experience of matters relevant to the functions of the advisory committee of the persons concerned, ensure an appropriate balance between men and women in the composition of the committee.

(7) A member of an advisory committee may be removed at any time from membership of the committee by the Authority.

(8) The Authority may at any time dissolve an advisory committee.

(9) The Authority may regulate the procedure and business of an advisory committee but, subject to any such regulation, the committee may regulate its own procedure and business.

(10) An advisory committee may act notwithstanding one or more vacancies in its membership.