(1) Notwithstanding any other enactment, contract, arrangement, understanding, expectation, circular or instrument or other document, any Minister of the Government may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, by regulation, vary, whether by formula or otherwise, the amount or the rate of payment to be made to persons, or classes of persons, in respect of any service that they render to or on behalf of that Minister of the Government or under the aegis of that Minister.

(2) For the purposes of this Act, any service rendered to the State that is not rendered to or on behalf of a Minister of the Government or under the aegis of such a Minister is to be taken to be rendered to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform may exercise the powers conferred by subsection (1) in relation to the persons rendering such services.

(3) Where the Minister by whom regulations are to be made under subsection (1) or (2) is the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the reference in subsection (1) to obtaining the consent of that Minister is to be disregarded.

(4) A Minister of the Government making regulations under subsection (1) shall have all the powers enjoyed by the Minister for Health and Children under section 9 and shall likewise be subject to all the obligations imposed on the Minister for Health and Children under that section.