(1) There is hereby established a council to be known as the Executive Council for Genetically Modified Organisms, which shall consist of not more than eight members appointed by the Minister. (2) The members referred to in subsection (1) – (a) shall be one officer of each of the following national departments of State: (i) The Department of Agriculture; (ii) the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology: (iii) the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism; (iv) the Department of Health: (v) the Department of Labour: and (vi) the Department of Trade and Industry, who shall have knowledge of the implications of genetically modified organisms with regard to the sector represented by his or her department; (b) shall include the chairperson of the Committee; and (c) may include any other person. (3) The Minister shall designate a chairperson and a deputy chairperson from among the members of the Council. (4) The deputy chairperson shall exercise all the powers and perform all the duties of the chairperson whenever the chairperson is unable to do so. Objectives of Council Section 4 The Council shall advise the Minister on all aspects concerning the development, production, use, application and release of genetically modified organisms, and to ensure that all activities with regard to the development, production, use, application and 35 release of genetically modified organisms are performed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Powers and duties of Council Section 5 In order to achieve its objectives, the Council may(a) require any applicant for a permit to use facilities for the development, production, use or application of genetically modified organisms or to release such organisms into the environment, to submit to the Council through the registrar, an assessment of the risk and, where required, an assessment of the impact on the environment of such development, production, use, application or release, as the case may be: (b) require the registrar to examine the conformity of an application to the requirements of this Act: