18. (1) The Commission shall, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining effective co-operation with representatives of relevant agencies and civil society—

(a) appoint such and so many advisory committees as it thinks fit to assist and advise it on matters relating to its F4[functions,]

F5[(aa) without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a), appoint an advisory committee to assist and advise it on matters relating to its functions under section 10(2)(ha), and]

(b) support, establish or participate in such networks, public consultation processes or public forums, as it sees appropriate.

(2) An advisory committee shall be appointed by the Commission for such period and subject to such terms of reference as the Commission thinks appropriate.

(3) An advisory committee shall consist of—

(a) a presiding member who shall be a member of the Commission,

(b) a vice presiding member (who shall act in the absence of the presiding member and who shall be a member of the Commission), and

(c) such number of other members including (if the Commission considers it appropriate), persons who are not members of the Commission or its staff,

as the Commission may determine and duly appoint.

F5[(3A) In the case of an advisory committee referred to in subsection (1)(aa), at least two-thirds of the number of persons appointed under subsection (3) shall have, or have had, a disability within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Disability Act 2005.]

(4) Each member of an advisory committee shall be paid out of moneys at the disposal of the Commission such allowance for expenses incurred by the member as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, may sanction.

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

(6) The Commission may at any time dissolve an advisory committee.

(7) The Commission may regulate the procedure and business of an advisory committee but, subject to the foregoing, a committee may regulate its own procedures and business.

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