28. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Commission shall, every 3 years, prepare and submit to the Joint Oireachtas Committee a strategy statement in respect of the following 3 years.

(2) The first strategy statement shall be prepared by the Commission as soon as practicable after the establishment day and shall relate to the period from its submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee until the day immediately before the third anniversary of the establishment day.

(3) A second or subsequent strategy statement shall be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee within the period of 6 months before the expiry of the period to which the previous strategy statement relates and the second or subsequent strategy statement shall relate to the period of 3 years from the expiry of the period to which the previous strategy statement relates.

(4) The Commission shall, in a strategy statement prepared under this section, specify—

(a) the key aims, objectives, outputs and strategies of the Commission, and

(b) having regard to the matters specified in paragraph (a), the key priorities of the chief executive.

(5) The Commission may—

(a) publish in such manner as the Commission considers appropriate a draft of the strategy statement and, where it publishes the draft, it shall allow persons 30 days from the date of that publication within which to make representations in writing to the Commission with regard to the draft strategy statement, and

(b) where appropriate, having considered any representations made under paragraph (a), make such modifications as may be necessary to take account of such representations.

(6) The Commission shall, as soon as may be after the preparation of a strategy statement under this section, cause a copy of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(7) The Commission shall ensure that, as soon as practicable after copies of a strategy statement are laid before each House of the Oireachtas in accordance with subsection (6), the strategy statement is published (in both the Irish and English languages) in such manner as the Commission considers appropriate.