9. (1) Where the Ombudsman or Deputy Ombudsman is—

(a) nominated to be a member of Seanad Éireann,

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

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

he or she shall thereupon cease to be Ombudsman or Deputy Ombudsman, as the case may be.

(2) Where a member of the staff of the Office is—

(a) nominated to be a member of Seanad Éireann,

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

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

he or she shall thereupon stand seconded from employment by the Office and shall not be paid by, or entitled to receive from, the Office 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 so elected (as the case may be), and ending when such person ceases to be a member of such House or such Parliament, as the case may be.

(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 from being a member, or member of the staff, of the Office.