19. (1) Subject to subsection (2) , the Minister may appoint a person to perform the functions of the Director General during—

(a) any period or periods when the Director General is absent from duty or from the State or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the functions of Director General,

(b) any suspension from office of the Director General, or

(c) any vacancy in the office of Director General.

(2) A person shall not be appointed to perform the functions of the Director General for a continuous period of more than 12 months during a vacancy in the office of Director General.

(3) The Minister may at any time terminate an appointment under this section.