Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Act, 1959

Appointment of Clerk and Clerk-Assistant of Seanad Éireann.

6.—(1) In this section—

“office” means an office being either the office of Clerk of Seanad Éireann or the office of Clerk-Assistant of Seanad Éireann;

“the Chairman” means the Chairman of Seanad Éireann.

(2) (a) Subject to subsection (3) of this section, each of the following officers, namely, the Clerk of Seanad Éireann, and the Clerk-Assistant of Seanad Éireann, shall be appointed by the Taoiseach on the joint recommendation of the Chairman and the Minister.

(b) Where the Chairman and the Minister are satisfied that no member of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas is suitable for appointment to an office, they may, under paragraph (a) of this subsection, recommend for appointment to that office a person who is not a member of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

(3) (a) If the Chairman and the Minister fail to agree on a recommendation of a person for appointment to an office, then, the Taoiseach shall nominate a person for appointment to that office and shall, with the concurrence of Seanad Éireann, appoint that person to that office.

(b) Where the Taoiseach is satisfied that no member of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas is suitable for appointment to an office, he may, under paragraph (a) of this subsection, nominate for appointment to that office a person who is not a member of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas.