Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 5th March, 2010.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 2(1)(c) (inserted by section 3 of the section 1 0(4) (inserted by section 1 of the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2001 (No. 30 of 2001)) of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938 (No. 34 of 1938) and section 4(3) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003 (No. 28 of 2003), hereby makes the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Secretarial Facilities) (Amendment) Regulations 2010.

2. The Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Secretarial Facilities) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 36 of 2008 ) are amended-

(a) in Regulation 3, by substituting for paragraph (b) the following:

"(b) additional secretarial facilities consisting of one of the following:

(i) one parliamentary assistant working full-time or such number of parliamentary assistants working part-time as are equivalent to one parliamentary assistant working full-time, or

(ii) in cases which the Commission considers exceptional with the consent of the Commission, one additional secretarial assistant working full-time.", and

(b) by substituting for Regulation 4 the following:

"4. A member referred to in Regulation 3 is entitled to additional secretarial facilities referred to in that Regulation only where he or she opts in writing, in such a manner and subject to such conditions as the Commission directs, from time to time, to exercise the entitlement.".

The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Seal, Affixed hereto

Was authenticated by Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission:

Dated: 1 March 2010

SÉAMUS KIRK,

Ceann Comhairle.

Member of staff of the Commission authorised by the Commission:

Dated: 1 March 2010

BRIDGET DOODY,

Secretary.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

The purpose of these Regulations is to provide for the removal of the option previously available to members to engage a higher parliamentary assistant on a shared basis.