Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Act 2009

Amendment of section 4 (functions of Commission) of Principal Act.

4.— Section 4 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by substituting for subsection (1) (inserted by section 3(1) of the Act of 2006) the following:

“(1) The functions of the Commission are—

(a) to provide for the running of the Houses of the Oireachtas,

(b) to act as governing body of the Service,

(c) to consider and determine policy in relation to the Service, and

(d) to oversee the implementation of that policy by the Secretary General.

(1A) The Commission shall be accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas for the performance of its functions.”,

(b) in subsection (2), in paragraph (b), by substituting “the Service” for “the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas”, and

(c) by substituting for subsection (4A) (inserted by section 3(3) of the Act of 2006) the following:

“(4A) The Commission may prepare and publish guidelines for members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann in relation to the use of services and facilities provided out of public funds following a dissolution of Dáil Éireann, and—

(a) may provide such services and facilities, and

(b) shall specify an appropriate charge for such use made other than in respect of duties as public representatives.

(4B) The Commission shall have regard to the need to secure the most beneficial outcomes consistent with the achievement of value for money in the use of the resources available to it.”.