21. (1) The Board shall—

(a) not later than 6 months after the commencement of this section, prepare and submit to the Minister a strategy statement in respect of the period of 3 years immediately following the year in which the strategy statement is so submitted, and

(b) not later than 3 months before each third anniversary of the submission to the Minister in accordance with this subsection of the strategy statement for the time being in effect, prepare and submit to the Minister a strategy statement in respect of the period of 3 years immediately following the year in which the second-mentioned strategy statement is so submitted.

(2) The Board shall, before preparing and submitting a strategy statement in accordance with subsection (1), seek and obtain the advice of the Director General in relation thereto.

(3) (a) The Board shall, in the preparation of a strategy statement have regard to the need to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available to the Commission.

(b) A strategy statement shall—

(i) except in the case of the strategy statement first prepared, submitted and approved under this section, contain a review of the implementation of the immediately preceding strategy statement,

(ii) specify the manner in which the Board proposes to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the strategy statement, and

(iii) include any other matters that the Minister may from time to time direct.

(4) The Minister shall, as soon as practicable after a strategy statement has been submitted to him or her under subsection (1) or pursuant to a direction under paragraph (c) —

(a) approve the strategy statement,

(b) approve the strategy statement subject to such modifications as he or she may specify, or

(c) refuse to approve the strategy statement and require the Board, by direction in writing, to prepare and submit a revised strategy statement to the Minister by such date as may be specified in the direction.

(5) The Board shall comply with a direction under this section by such date as may be specified in the direction.

(6) The Commission shall not implement a strategy statement unless it has been approved by the Minister in accordance with paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4).

(7) The Minister shall, as soon as practicable after having approved a strategy statement in accordance with paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4), cause a copy of that statement to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(8) The Director General shall, as soon as practicable after the approval of a strategy statement in accordance with paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4), cause that statement to be published on the internet and, where he or she considers it appropriate, in such other manner as he or she shall determine.

(9) In this Act “strategy statement” means a statement that—

(a) specifies the key objectives, outputs and related strategies (including use of resources) of the Commission, and

(b) is prepared in a form and manner that is in accordance with any directions issued from time to time by the Minister.