This is open to all CEO/CEO equivalent of Irish State Agencies. Interim CEOs can avail of membership.

Full membership of ACESA is open to persons that fit the criteria of “Chief Executive” which means the most senior executive or accounting/accountable officer within an organisation including but not limited to the CEO, Chief Officer, Director, Director General, Commissioner, Ombudsman or Registrar within their own organisation or such other persons whom the ACESA Board deem to fulfil this criteria.

Full membership of ACESA is open to persons who are “Chief Executive” of a State Agency which meets the following criteria:

1. The organisation is a public benefit entity that is established by statute to perform public functions on behalf of the State.
2. A body which a government Minister has statutory responsibility for one or more of the following:
   Presentation of estimates in the Dáil;
   Nomination/dismissal of the majority of members of the board/Commission/governing body of the entity;
   Consent functions in relation to salaries fees, superannuation;
   Consent functions in relation to borrowing;
   Approval of and/or endorsement Statements of Strategy.
3. A body of which the Secretary General of the line department is the accounting officer or the applicant is the accounting officer.
4. The Agency is organisationally and legally distinct from its line department.
5. The Agency has some discretion over personnel and financial resources.
6. The Agency is independent in its functions to render it as a distinct entity within the State apparatus.

This is open to any person that has held full membership for at least 4 years, and is not currently employed in an executive capacity in an Agency of which a current ACESA member is Chief Executive.