IWA Constitution

1. Title

The title of the Association shall be the Irish Windsurfing Association.

2. Definitions

In this constitution the word Association or IWA means the Irish Windsurfing Association. The Executive Committee means the Executive Committee of the IWA as elected or co-opted in accordance with this constitution. Masculine pronouns are used where masculine or feminine may apply.

3. Membership

The following categories of membership apply:

Adult Members: Persons over 17 years of age on 1 January of the year in which membership is sought and who are not Student Members.
Junior Members: Persons under 17 years of age on 1 January of the year in which membership is sought.
Student Members: Persons under 23 years of age on 1 January of the year in which membership is sought and who are in full-time education.
Family Membership: Two parents and Junior and/or Student members only.
Event Membership: Membership to allow a member participate in one event organised for or on behalf of the IWA.
Social Membership: Members who are not windsurfers but who support the aims of the association.

Admission to membership is at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

4. Objectives

To promote, encourage and co-ordinate the sport of windsurfing in Ireland and to promote safety in windsurfing. To maintain affiliation to the Irish Sailing Association (ISA).

5. Management

The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Executive Committee in accordance with this constitution and the instructions of the members at a General Meeting.

6. Executive Committee Composition

The Executive Committee shall consist of:

President
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
Events Officer
Children's Officer
Such additional members as may be decided by the members at an AGM

Members of the Executive Committee will be elected by members of the Association, other than Event Members, who are present at the AGM.

In addition to members of the Executive Committee elected at the AGM, the Executive Committee may at its discretion co-opt additional members to act as members of the Executive Committee.

Membership of the Executive Committee shall cease on the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the IWA.

The Irish Sailing Association shall be invited to nominate a representative to serve as a member of the Executive Committee and assist in liaison with the ISA.

7. Nominations

Nominations for election as an officer may be made only with the consent of the nominees, who may give consent in writing or by email if unable to attend the AGM. All nominations should state the names of the proposer and seconder, and should be submitted in writing or by email to the Honorary Secretary of the Association at least seven clear days before the AGM. Should there not be any nominations for a position on the Executive Committee, the President may accept nominations at the AGM for that position.

8. Duties of Executive Committee Members

The President shall be spokesperson for the Association and shall further its interests. He shall address the AGM on the affairs of the Association. He shall preside over General Meetings and Executive Committee Meetings.
The Honorary Secretary shall keep a record of minutes of the Executive Committee and General Meetings. He will maintain records of memberships of the IWA and deal with day-to-day matters on the Association's behalf.
The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper books of all monies received or paid on behalf of the Association. He shall prepare a statement of Income and Expenditure and a Balance Sheet to 30 October each year and submit these to the AGM.
The Events Officer shall be responsible for coordination with the various organisers of events approved by the IWA, for production of the IWA Calendar of Events at the start of each season, and for collation of results of competitive events.
The Children's Officer shall represent the interests of Junior Members on the Executive Committee in relation to their welfare and safety.
Officers may be assisted in their duties by such others as the Executive Committee may decide.

9. Committee's Responsibilities

The committee shall meet as required and at the discretion of the President. At any such meeting the presence of three members of the Committee shall form a quorum.
Other than at meetings, the standard means of communications among the Executive Committee shall be by email. In the absence of a meeting, a vote of members may be sought by email at the discretion of the President on any matter deemed to require such a vote. The Honorary Secretary will maintain a copy of all emails that refer to the IWA's business.
The Executive Committee shall arrange activities for the Association in accordance with the objectives and, to raise funds and defray expenses, may charge such fees for admission or participation and incur such liabilities as it may deem proper, provided that it may not, without the prior approval of a General Meeting, incur liabilities in excess of the assets, including the reasonable expected income.
The Executive Committee shall hold and administer for the general benefit of all members all funds, property and equipment in the ownership of the Association.
The Executive Committee may pay out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any member in the conduct of the affairs of the Association as a result of any direction by the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall decide on matters of discipline in accordance with the terms of this constitution.

10. Finances

The finances of the Association shall be managed by the Honorary Treasurer who shall be accountable and subject to the control of the Executive Committee.

The accounts of the Association shall be available for audit at any time at the discretion of the President.

11. Sub Committees

The Executive Committee may appoint sub-committees for conducting the business of their respective sections or for any other purpose. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all sub-committees. Sub-committees shall report to the Executive Committee.

12. Subscriptions

Membership subscriptions shall be renewable annually on the first day of January. The subscription shall be that of the Association currently in force and passed at the AGM.

13. Interpretation

The Executive Committee shall determine any question as to the interpretation of this constitution and any regulations made thereunder and may rule for any occurrence not otherwise catered for herein, provided that an appropriate amendment thereof is moved at the following AGM.

14. Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the IWA shall be held each year in the month of November, or on such alternative date as the Executive Committee may decide. The quorum for the conduct of business shall be ten members or one sixth of the membership number, whichever is less.

Members shall receive not less than fourteen days notice of the date and venue of the AGM including invitations for nominations for officerships and motions for discussion at the meeting.

Seven days notice shall be given in writing or by email to the Honorary Secretary of all motions and nominations for officerships that it is proposed to put before the AGM.

Agenda

The appointment of tellers for any ballot that may be required
The President's Address
The Treasurer's Report
Report from the Events Officer
Other Reports
Subscriptions
Motions of which notice has been given
The election of Officers

All meetings, including the AGM, shall be conducted under Roberts' Rules.

At all meetings of the IWA the President may, at his discretion, call for votes by ballot or by show of hands for motions or questions to be decided by a majority vote. The President shall by right of office have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote.

15. Special General Meetings

The Executive Committee may at any time summon a Special General Meeting to consider any business connected with the Association, and the committee are at all times bound to do so on a request in writing from one sixth of the registered members of the Association.

16. Communication

Other than communications required in relation to paragraph 17, Discipline, and paragraph 18, Appeals, all communication to the membership shall be by electronic means, email, and via the IWA website.

17. Discipline

Members shall not at any time behave in a manner likely to discredit the Irish Windsurfing Association.

Any registered member may be charged with a disciplinary offence by the Executive Committee. This may be as a result of a written complaint from any registered member of the Association or from the organiser of an event on the IWA Calendar of Events.

Members may be:

Expelled from membership, such expulsion to apply for life
Suspended from membership for such period as the Executive Committee may decide
Fined to a limit of EUR 100

A member who is expelled or suspended may not participate in events on the IWA Calendar of Events or attend meetings of the Association.

Whenever a member is charged with an offence against this constitution, he or she shall be informed in writing by the Honorary Secretary. That member may then either:

submit a written report on the allegation to the Honorary Secretary within four days; or
make arrangements with the Honorary Secretary to appear in person before a disciplinary meeting of the Executive Committee or such sub-committee of the Executive Committee as the President may decide.

Members involved shall be notified in writing of the decision of the disciplinary meeting of the Executive Committee.

18. Appeals

Any decision of a disciplinary meeting of the Executive Committee may be appealed to an Appeal Committee. An Appeal Committee will be a group of three members or former members of the ISA or IWA who were not involved in the original disciplinary hearing, selected by the President. The member making the appeal may object to one member of an Appeal Committee proposed by the President.

Notice of intent to appeal should be sent to the Honorary Secretary within seven days of receipt of written confirmation of the decision of the Executive Committee. The appeal shall be accompanied by a fee of EUR 200.00 which will be refunded if the appeal is upheld.

The Appeal Committee is empowered to alter or delete the penalty imposed by the Executive Committee.

19. Dissolution

If at any General Meeting a resolution shall be passed for the dissolution of the Association, and such a resolution at a Special General Meeting held within one month thereafter is confirmed by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of the members who voted in the confirmatory ballot, the Committee shall thereupon, or at a future date specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Association. After discharge of all liabilities the net assets shall be handed over to such body having similar objectives to the Association as shall be specified in the resolution.

Revision History of IWA Constitution

Ver 1.0 passed at the Annual General Meeting, November 2003.

Ver 1.1 amendments, as follows, adopted at the AGM on 29 October 2006.

1. Communication with Members

Delete existing paragraph 16 of the constitution and substitute with the following:

Delete written from paragraph 14(b), Annual General Meeting, of the constitution.

Add or by email to line two and line three of paragraph 7, Nominations.

Proposed: Peter Gallagher. Seconded: Cathal Kavanagh.

2. Social Membership

Add new sub paragraph 3(f) to the constitution as follows: Social Membership. Members who are not windsurfers but who support the aims of the association.

Proposed: Peter Gallagher. Seconded: Cathal Kavanagh.