24.  (1) There shall be a chief executive officer of the Authority who shall be appointed by the Authority and who shall be known, and is referred to in this Act, as the “chief executive”.

(2) The chief executive shall hold office under a written contract of service (which contract may, at the discretion of the Authority, be renewed) for such period as is specified in the contract, and subject to such terms and conditions (including terms and conditions relating to remuneration) as are determined by the Authority with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(3) The chief executive shall—

(a) implement the policies and decisions of the Authority,

(b) manage and control generally the Authority’s staff, administration and business,

(c) be responsible to the Authority for the performance of his or her functions, and

(d) perform such other functions (if any) as may be required by the Authority or as may be authorised under this Act.

(4) The chief executive may be removed or suspended from office by the Authority for stated reasons.

(5) The chief executive shall not be a member of the Authority or a committee but may, in accordance with procedures established by the Authority or such a committee, as the case may be, attend meetings of the Authority or the committee, as the case may be, and shall be entitled to speak at and give advice at such meetings.

(6) The chief executive shall provide the Authority with such information, including financial information, in respect of the performance of the chief executive’s functions as the Authority may require.

(7) The chief executive shall not hold any other office or position in respect of which remuneration is payable, or carry on any business, trade or profession without the consent of the Authority.

(8) Such of the functions of the chief executive as the chief executive may specify may, with the consent of the Authority, be performed by such member or members of the staff of the Authority as the chief executive may authorise for that purpose, and that member or those members of staff shall be accountable to the chief executive for the performance of the functions so delegated.

(9) The chief executive shall be accountable to the Authority for the performance of functions delegated by him or her in accordance with subsection (8).

(10) The chief executive may, with the consent of the Authority in writing, revoke a delegation made in accordance with this section.

(11) The functions referred to in subsection (8) do not include a function delegated by the Authority to the chief executive subject to a condition that the function shall not be delegated by the chief executive to anyone else.

(12) If the chief executive—

(a) dies, resigns, becomes disqualified for or is removed from office, or

(b) is for any reason temporarily unable to continue to perform his or her functions,

the Authority may designate such member or members of the staff of the Authority as it considers appropriate to perform the functions of the chief executive until—

(i) in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (a), a new chief executive is appointed in accordance with this section,

(ii) in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (b), the chief executive is able to resume the performance of his or her functions, or

(iii) the Authority decides to revoke or alter a designation made under this subsection.