21.— (1) The Minister shall appoint, on such terms and conditions as are specified in writing, one or more than one person who—

(a) is a practising barrister or solicitor of not less than 5 years’ standing, or

(b) has a special interest or expertise in or knowledge of matters regarding approved services, administration of schemes of payments or fair procedures,

to consider an appeal under section 22 who shall, in relation to the appeal, be called the “appeals officer”.

(2) An appeals officer shall be independent in the performance of his or her functions under this Act.

(3) An appeals officer—

(a) shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, determines,

(b) may be provided with such staff, whose terms and conditions of service and to whom payment of remuneration and allowances shall be such as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, determines as reasonably necessary to enable the appeals officer to perform his or her functions under this Act, and

(c) may resign from the appointment by notice in writing given to the Minister.

(4) The Minister may revoke the appointment of an appeals officer for stated reasons.

(5) (a) An appeals officer shall, at such intervals and in relation to such periods as are specified in writing by the Minister, submit a report in writing to the Minister in relation to the performance of his or her functions under this Act as an appeals officer during the period to which the report relates.

(b) No information shall be provided under paragraph (a) that constitutes confidential information within the meaning of section 23(1).

(c) The Minister shall cause copies of a report submitted under paragraph (a) to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.