Irish Geological Association Constitution
This constitution was adopted at the Annual General Meeting in 1972 and amended at Annual General Meetings in 1974, 1980, 1987 and 1990, at an Extraordinary General Meeting in 1991 and at the AGM held in Jan. 2014.
1) The association shall be known as “The Irish Geological Association”, and its objectives shall be to further interest in the geological sciences in Ireland. In particular the Association shall provide a meeting ground for professional and amateur geological scientists and other interested persons.
2) The Association shall hold at least six meetings a year.
3) Membership shall be open to all interested, but applications must be ratified by the council.
4) An annual subscription shall be paid by all members. Changing in the rate of subscription shall be by majority vote of all members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting. The annual subscription falls due on the 1st January. The membership of those persons in arrears by more than six calendar months shall be terminated.
5) The business of the Association shall be undertaken by a council and by committees of the council. The council shall include twelve elected members of whom no more than eight shall be officers. All officers shall be honorary.
6) At least one member of the council shall be an amateur member of the association. The officers shall consist of a President, not more than two Vice-Presidents, not more than three Secretaries, a Treasurer and an Excursions Secretary. The President and Vice-Presidents shall not serve for more than two consecutive years. At any meeting of the council, four members, including at least one officer shall constitute a quorum.
i) Only members of the Association who have been nominated by another member of the Association in writing to the secretary of the association at least four weeks before the Annual General Meeting and who have agreed to accept nomination shall be eligible for election or re-election to the council. The election of the council shall take place at the Annual General Meeting of the Association when postal votes will be counted along with those of the members present.
ii) If no amateur member of the Association has been elected as an officer or as other member of the council when only one place remains unfilled, the amateur receiving the highest number of votes shall be deemed elected to this place. Where possible all members of the council shall be elected annually. In the event of less than twelve members being elected to the council, the remaining vacancies shall be filled through co-option, by the elected members of council, of association members who show willingness to serve on the council.
iii) The elected members of council may co-opt to the council additional members of the
iv) Each member of the Association shall be notified of the Agenda and list of nominations Association who show willingness to serve on the council. Such co-opted members will be ordinary members of the council and will serve until the end of the calendar year in which they are co-opted. Not more than three members co-opted under this provision may be members of the council at any one time. for the council at least two weeks before the Annual General Meeting. If a request for an Extraordinary General Meeting signed by at least twenty members is received by the secretary, they shall call such a meeting within four weeks. Any of the functions of the Annual General Meeting may be carried out at this meeting.
v) In the case of any equality of votes the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting or of an Extraordinary General Meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
7) The Annual General Meeting shall be held at the earliest opportunity in each calendar year, but no later than 30 April in that year, and the Annual Reports of the IGA Council shall be presented at that meeting. The accounts of the Association shall be made up to the 31st of December in each year and shall be examined by an independent qualified accountant, who shall be appointed annually by members of the association at the previous Annual General Meeting. The annual accounts shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting.
8) No member is entitled to any distinct or separate share in the property or effects of the Association, and in the event of a dissolution of the Association such property shall be disposed of by gift to such societies or associations having for their objectives the furtherance of the geological sciences as shall be selected by a vote of a meeting of the Association called for the purpose.
9) The council of the Association shall have the power to make such regulations as may be necessary for the proper functioning of the Association.
10) No amendment of this constitution shall be made except by a two-thirds majority vote of those present and voting at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association. Proposed amendments to the constitution shall be received by the Secretaries at least four weeks before the date of the Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. At least two weeks notice of proposed amendments shall be given by the Secretary (Or Secretaries) to members of the Association.
11) Any properties or assets held in trust by the Society shall be held in the names of serving Council members.