17. (1) The Commission may appoint such and so many persons to be members of staff of the Commission as it may determine.

(2) The terms and conditions of service of a member of staff of the Commission, and the grade at which he or she serves, shall be such as may be determined by the Commission, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(3) Members of staff of the Commission are civil servants within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956.

(4) The Commission shall be the appropriate authority (within the meaning of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 and the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956 to 2005) in relation to members of its staff.