15.— (1) Where a member of An tSeirbhís is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

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

(c) regarded pursuant to Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the Act of 1997 as having been elected to that Parliament,

he or she shall thereupon cease to be a member of An tSeirbhís.

(2) Where a member of the staff of An tSeirbhís is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann,

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

(c) regarded pursuant to Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the Act of 1997 as having been elected to that Parliament,

he or she shall thereupon stand seconded from employment by An tSeirbhís and shall not be paid by, or be entitled to receive from, An tSeirbhís any remuneration or allowances in respect of the period commencing on such nomination or election, or when he or she is so regarded as having been elected (as the case may be), and ending when such person ceases to be a member of either such House or a member of such Parliament.

(3) A person who is for the time being entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein or who is a member of the European Parliament shall, while he or she is so entitled or is such a member, be disqualified for membership of An tSeirbhís or for employment in any capacity by An tSeirbhís.

(4) A period mentioned in subsection (2) shall not, for the purposes of any superannuation benefit, be reckoned as service with An tSeirbhís.

(5) In this section “Act of 1997” means the European Parliament Elections Act 1997.