ÁIRC Midlands Constitution
ÁIRC Midlands Constitution
1. NAME
The organisation shall be known as ÁIRC Midlands hereinafter known as ÁIRC
2. MAIN OBJECT
The objectives of the organisation are to provide support to children and young adults (aging from 0-25 years) with disabilities (or extra needs) who reside in the Midlands Counties (Westmeath, Roscommon, Longford, Offaly and Laois) and their family and friends. To promote and assist in facilitating inclusion at all levels of community activity and involvement. To empower children and young adults with disabilities and their support network through educational platforms. To help provide a pathway of access to facilities, services, equipment and activities that would otherwise be inaccessible due to the child or young adult’s disability or condition.
In short we have four aims: support, communication, advocacy and to fundraise when needed to achieve these. Any lobbying or campaigning by ÁIRC is to be carried out to further our support goals and raise awareness of disability issues.
ÁIRC has an ethos of complete inclusion of people with disabilities.
All monies raised are to be used to further these goals in activities agreed upon by the Committee.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Any person who undertakes to behave in the best interest of providing support to children and young adults with disabilities shall be eligible for membership regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identification, religion or other beliefs.
The Committee may decline to accept renewal of membership, from any person, only for good cause such as conduct which is in direct contradiction to the ethos of the organisation or that which would bring the organisation into disrepute. Appeal against refusal of renewal may be made to the members at an AGM or EGM.
4. SUBSCRIPTION OR FEE
There is no subscription or fee for membership.
5. TRUSTEES
There shall be a minimum of three trustees. These are the Directors of the company ÁIRC Midlands ltd. No trustee shall receive financial benefit from ÁIRC but expenses shall be reimbursed when activities carried out when conducting the business of ÁIRC have cost the trustee money. These may only be received upon production of receipts or invoices marked paid to the treasurer.
6. BANK ACCOUNT
The ÁIRC Midlands bank account is held at the Credit Union, Monksland, Athlone. This account must always be signed off by two of three signatories. Signatories must be officers of the Committee and chosen by vote by the Committee.
7. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
The committee shall conduct the affairs of the organisation as a whole and shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Public Relations Officer, Advocacy, Information and Policy Development Officer and up to three Ordinary Committee members.
Nominations for these positions shall be put forward in the form of a motion after the announcement of an AGM or EGM when the position is available.
The term of office shall be for one year and members shall be eligible for re-election at each AGM in August of each year. The maximum period office may be held is four terms although a member may be elected again after a break of one year.
8. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON
The chairperson will preside at all General Meetings of ÁIRC and at all committee meetings. Should he or she not be available the Vice Chairperson shall take this role. The Chairperson is responsible for guiding the activities of ÁIRC in accordance with the objectives of ÁIRC and its policies including Code of Conduct, Fundraising Terms of Reference and constitution. The Chairperson is the representative of the members and shall act within the interests of the majority. The Chairperson has an equal vote on the committee with all other officers and is not considered to govern the committee. The Chairperson acts as a spokesperson for the organisation when required. It is the responsibility of the Chairperson to ensure that all decisions made and responsibilities allotted at meetings are carried out within a reasonable amount of time. Along with the Secretary the Chairperson must plan meetings and develop the agenda.
VICE CHAIRPERSON
It is the role of the Vice-Chairperson to assist the Chairperson in their activities and responsibilities and to carry out those activities and responsibilities in the event that the Chairperson is unavailable or unable. The Vice-Chairperson may also take responsibility for tasks allotted by the committee at meetings.
SECRETARY
It is the responsibility of the Secretary, along with the Chairperson to plan and organise the logistics of meetings and develop an agenda. The Secretary is responsible for all ÁIRC correspondence including communicating with members regarding date and time of meetings and other activities. It is the responsibility of the Secretary to take minutes and distribute them within seven days of a meeting. Minutes shall be distributed to all committee members by post and email and made available to members at any meeting.
TREASURER
It is the responsibility of the treasurer to look after and oversee the finances. They are responsible for the retention of all documents pertaining to finances including receipts, invoices, accounts etc. They must prepare and present understandable and up to date financial reports to the committee both monthly in a brief format and annually in a full report with accounts. They are responsible for keeping the committee informed of the financial health of the organisation and the management of same.
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
It is the role of the Public Relations Officer to promote ÁIRC and its activities and events to the public. It is their role to set up media relationships. They should utilise all media i.e. social media, newspapers, radio, television and publics forums to raise
the public profile and awareness of ÁIRC, it’s activities and services in accordance with our code of conduct, constitution and general ethos of inclusion. They must communicate and liaise between the committee especially with the Chairperson and Advocacy, Information and Policy Development Officer. It is their role to organise interviews for the committee with the media when required. It is their responsibility to work with the Chairperson and Advocacy, Information and Policy Development Officer to develop informational platforms such as brochures, website and social media.
VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR
It is their role to continuously recruit volunteers for the organisation and events organised. It is their responsibility to manage and circulate volunteers at events. It is the responsibility of the volunteer co-ordinator to ensure that volunteers are Garda Vetted when required. It is their responsibility to ensure that all fundraising equipment and uniforms be returned and stored appropriately.
ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
It is their role to carry out general committee activities decided at meetings. The Ordinary Committee members may also carry out Officer roles when needed and appropriate if required by the committee.
9. GENERAL COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
The Committee as a whole is responsible for the general conduct of ÁIRC’s activities.
It shall meet for a length of no more than two hours once per month.
Any Committee member may request an EGM which shall be called by the secretary.
An AGM shall be held once per year in the month of August.
A quorum shall consist of not less than three Committee members.
In the case of casual vacancies on the Committee, an EGM may be called and acting roles allocated by process of a motion, second and consensus vote.
10.GENERAL MEETINGS
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held each year in the month of August if possible but no later than 18 months after the preceding AGM.
An EGM may be called on the instructions of a simple majority of the Committee, or on a requisition signed by not less than 3 members.
Not less than 21 days’ notice shall be given, specifying to all members the time and business of the General Meeting. This notice may be given electronically via email or social media or, if a member requires it, via post.
Motions for discussion at the AGM or EGM, not of origin from within the Committee, shall be lodged with the secretary at least 14 days preceding the AGM or EGM.
At any General Meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided by a show of hands, of those entitled to vote, except when more than one nomination has been received for a position on the Committee, in which case voting shall proceed in the form of anonymous ballot. Majority vote to pass nomination.
At all General Meetings the Chairperson shall preside or, in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairperson. If both are unavailable a Chairperson will be voted on for the purpose of one meeting.
At all General Meetings not less than three members shall constitute a quorum.
Accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of, a meeting by any member shall not invalidate the proceeding of the meeting.
Nominations will be published to current members immediately following their acceptance by nominees in order to maintain transparency. These nominations will be disclosed through an online medium where only current members can view the information.
The outgoing Committee shall conduct the Annual General Meeting.
11.Income and Property
The income and property of the Company shall be applied solely towards the promotion of Main Object(s) as set forth in this Constitution.
No portion of the Company’s income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to members of the Company.
No Director shall be appointed to any office of the Company paid by salary or fees, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth from the Company. However, nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the Company of:
(a) reasonable and proper remuneration to any member or servant of the Company (not being a Director) for any services rendered to the Company;
(b) interest at a rate not exceeding 1% above the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor) per annum on money lent by Directors or other members of the Company to the Company;
(c) reasonable and proper rent for premises demised and let by any member of the Company (including any Director) to the Company;
(d) reasonable and proper out of pocket expenses incurred by any Director in connection with their attendance to any matter affecting the Company;
(e) fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to any company of which a Director may be a member holding not more than one hundredth part of the issued capital of such company.
(f) Nothing shall prevent any payment by the Company to a person pursuant to an agreement entered into in compliance with section 89 of the Charities Act, 2009
(as for the time being amended, extended or replaced).
12. Additions, alterations or amendments
The Company must ensure that the Charities Regulator has a copy of its most recent Constitution. If it is proposed to make an amendment to the Constitution of the Company which requires the prior approval of the Charities Regulator, advance notice in writing of the proposed changes must be given to the Charities Regulator for approval, and the amendment shall not take effect until such approval is received.
13. Winding Up
If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Company there remains, after satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, it shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Company. Instead, such property shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having main objects similar to the main objects of the Company, recommendation in this case being the Special Needs Parents Association .
The institution or institutions to which the property is to be given or transferred shall prohibit the distribution of their income and property among their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Company under or by virtue of Clause 6 hereof. Members of the Company shall select the relevant institution or institutions at or before the time of dissolution, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provisions, then the property shall be given or transferred to some charitable object with the agreement of the Charities Regulator.
Final accounts will be prepared and submitted that will include a section that identifies and values any assets transferred along with the details of the recipients and the terms of the transfer.