Rules

Irish Society of Community and Public Health Medicine Constitution as amended at the A.G.M. 1992, 1996, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2024.

1. Name:

This society shall be known as the Irish Society of Community and Public Health Medicine.

2. Objectives:
The objectives of this Society are: –
(a) To promote, advance and encourage the practice of Community and Public Health Medicine.
(b) To promote and encourage enhancement of knowledge sharing based on recent evidence to guide Community Medicine and Public Health Medicine.
(c) To assist in obtaining better working conditions and facilities for its members.

3. Membership:
The society shall consist of: –
(i) Ordinary members.
(ii) Honorary members.
(iii) Life members.
(iv) Such other members as the Society may from time to time determine.
(i) Ordinary Members shall be restricted to registered medical practitioners engaged in the practice of Community and Public Health Medicine. Ordinary members will include members who are permanent or temporary and those who hold a job-sharing post.
(ii) Honorary Membership may be conferred by the Society on the recommendation of the Council on any person or persons who have rendered distinguished service in the practice of Community and Public Health Medicine. Hon Membership does not confer the right to vote.
(iii) Life Members on retirement from active work, Ordinary Members may, on the nomination of the Council, be elected Life Members, without further payment of subscription (but without right to vote).

4. Management of the Society:
The Honorary Officers of the Council of the Society shall consist of:
(a) President.
(b) Two Vice Presidents (incoming and out-going).
(c) One or more Honorary Secretaries.
(d) Treasurer.
(e) Such Officers as may from time to time be advisable.

The Management of the affairs of the Society shall be vested in Council subject to the control of the Society. The council shall consist of the five officers above mentioned, together with two members from each of the divisional areas as shall be decided upon i.e. ten delegates making a total of 15 in all. If the nominated delegate cannot attend he/she may appoint a substitute from within his/her particular division.
The Council shall have the power to co-opt not more than two members.
In this case the total number of members of the Council will be seventeen.
The members of the Council from the divisional areas shall be nominated by the areas in question and the names of the selected members shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary each year within one month after the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

The divisional areas shall be as follows: –
(1) North Eastern: Louth, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford, Meath and Westmeath.
(2) South Leinster: Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Wexford, Offaly, Laois, Waterford and South Tipperary.
(3) Western: Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal.
(4) Munster: Cork, Kerry, Clare, Tipperary North and Limerick.
(5) Metropolitan: Dublin.

At the Annual General Meeting, members shall by means of a show of hands or ballot paper provided, elect Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The in-coming Vice President shall be President Elect and shall hold office for two years. In the event of a tie, the matter shall be decided by the casting vote of the Chairman (having voted already).

5. Meetings:
(a) There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Society at such time not being more than eighteen months after the preceding Annual General Meeting and at such place as the Council shall determine.
(b) An Extra Ordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Council, or on the request of not fewer than twelve members in good standing, due notice (21 days) having been given.
(c) An informal meeting may be called by the Secretary in consultation with the President at any time.

6. Alteration of Constitution:
Any alteration of the Constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting called for this purpose. Proposed alterations must be notified to each member at least 14 days before the meeting at which they are to be discussed.

7. Bye-Laws:
(1) Officers:
(a) The Officers of the Society shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
(b) The President shall hold office for two years.
(c) The incoming Vice-President shall be President Elect and shall hold office for two years.
(d) The outgoing President will hold office for one year.
(e) There shall be an Honorary Secretary, eligible for re-election annually.
(f) There shall be an Honorary Treasurer, eligible for re-election annually.
(g) In the Event of a period in excess of twelve months elapsing without the holding of an Annual General Meeting, the Officers and Council shall continue in office until the holding of the next Annual General Meeting.
(h) The outgoing officers shall remain in office until the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting.

(2) Council:
(a) The Council shall be limited to seventeen members.
(b) The Council shall have power to appoint during its term of office standing or any other special committees that it may think desirable and to appoint to such committees any members of the Society whether a member of the Council or not. The Chairman of such committees shall be a member of the Council.

(3) Nomination of Officers:
Nominations for office duly signed by proposing and seconding and accompanied by written consent to Nominee must be delivered to the Honorary Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. Each candidate, proposer and seconder must be an Ordinary Member in good standing. Honorary Secretary shall circulate to all members, the names of candidates proposed for office within seven days of annual general meeting.

(4) Election of Members:
(a) New members may be elected at any Council or General Meeting provided due notice, together with the names of the candidates is given in or with the Agenda, and the Council is satisfied with their qualifications.
(b) Honorary members may be elected at any General Meeting on the recommendation of the Council. They shall not be liable to pay any subscription and shall not be entitled to any vote in the affairs of the Society.
(c) Members of the Society whose subscriptions are two years in arrears shall cease to be members.

(5) Meetings:
All meetings shall be held at such time and place as the Council may decide. Notice of meeting with the agenda shall be circulated at least ten days before the date of the meeting.

The Council shall meet at least once a quarter.

Five members will constitute a quorum at Council Meetings.

(6) Finance:
(a) The financial year shall be confirmed at each meeting of the Council and shall end of the 31st December of each year.
(b) Payment of Accounts shall be confirmed at each meeting of the Council and shall be made by cheque signed by the Treasurer.
(c) The Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society shall be and shall become due on the 1st January of each year. This may be changed at the Annual General Meeting provided due notice is given.
(d) The Council shall arrange for the Annual Audit of the Accounts of the Society by two members of the Society appointed at a general meeting.

(7) Trustees:
The Trustees shall be ex-officio members of the Council, President, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary of the Society for the time being. All property of the Society shall be vested in the Trustees for the time being.