Rules

1.    The name of the body is the ‘Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement’/Áitreab hereafter referred to as ‘the Group’.

2.    The main object of the Group is to study Irish historic settlement by:

(a)    promoting studies of particular aspects of historic settlement in Ireland,
(b)    producing and circulating information concerning Irish historic settlement, and
(c)    providing a forum to express opinions on matters of historic settlement which are of national or local concern.

3.    Membership of the Group is open to all who pay their annual subscription, payable on 1 May each year.

4.    The Treasurer shall contact members who have not paid their subscription to determine if they wish to remain members of the Group.

5.    Only those members who have paid their membership shall be entitled to the rights conferred on members by these rules, including the right to vote.

6.    The annual membership subscription shall be determined from time-to-time by members at the annual General meeting.

7.    The affairs of the Group shall be managed by a committee consisting of a president, secretary, treasurer and up to seven ordinary members.

8.    Elections to the committee shall take place by non-transferable vote at annual General meetings of the Group in accordance with the following provisions:

(a)    the president shall hold office for a term of three years and cannot serve a second consecutive term
(b)    the secretary and treasurer shall be elected annually
(c)    ordinary members shall be elected annually.

9. Where a vacancy occurs on the committee, the committee shall have the power to co-opt a member of the Group to the committee for the remaining duration of his/her term.  

10. The quorum for meetings of the committee shall be the presence of two officers and at least two other members.

11.    The president shall chair all committee, General and Extraordinary General meetings of the Group.

12.    The president shall have a second or casting vote where there is a tied vote at either General or committee meetings.

13.    The duties of the secretary include:

(a)    the preparation of a written report to be presented to the annual General meeting on the Group’s activities since the preceding annual General meeting,
(b)    the taking of minutes at General and committee meetings,
(c)    the issuing of timely notices of General and committee meetings, and
(d)    the safe keeping of all current and past correspondence, minutes and other papers belonging to the Group.

14.    The duties of the treasurer include:

(a)    the preparation of a written report to be presented to the annual General meeting on the income and expenditure of the Group since the preceding annual General meeting,
(b)    the reporting of the financial state of the Group at committee meetings,
(c)    the safe keeping of all current financial papers belonging to the Group, and
(d)    the keeping and making available the annual audited accounts of the Group to the Revenue Commissioners on request.

15.    The committee at their first meeting after the annual General meeting shall elect from their number a person to serve as deputy-president to perform the functions of the president in his/her absence or incapacity.

16.    The committee may appoint a sub-committee to better perform specific duties from time-to-time. Sub-committees will report their resolutions or activities to the committee. No resolution, decision or action of a sub-committee can be taken without the previous consent of the committee.

17.    The committee shall organise an annual conference and undertake such other activities as it deems apposite to the furtherance of the Group’s aims.

18.    On an officer’s completion of his/her term or resignation all documents, papers and other material belonging to the Group in his/her possession shall be handed over to the officer-elect. Such documents, papers and other material that are not then useful for the Group’s day-to-day running shall be deposited in the Group’s archive.

19.    On the nomination of the committee, the Group may elect a former president as Honorary Vice President, by vote at a General meeting of the Group.

20.    The income and property of the Group shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its aims as set forth in these rules. No portion of the Group’s income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of divided, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to members of the Group. No officer shall be appointed to any office of the Group by salary or fees, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth from the Group. However, nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the body of:

(a)    reasonable and proper remuneration to any member of the Group (not being an officer) for any services rendered to the Group;
(b)    interest at a rate not exceeding five per cent per annum on money lent by officers or other members of the Group to the Group;
(c)    reasonable and proper rent for premises demised and let by any member of the Group (including any officer) to the Group;
(d)    reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any officer in connection with their attendance to any matter affecting the Group;
(e)    fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to any company of which an officer may be a member holding not more than one hundredth part of the issued capital of such company.

21.    If upon the winding-up or dissolution of the Group there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, it shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the body. Instead, such property shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions to which the property having main aims similar to the main aims of the Group. The institution or institutions to which the property is to be given or transferred shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Group under or by virtue of clause 19 hereof. Members of the Group 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.

22.    These rules shall supersede all previous rules of the Group and shall only be amended by approval of a General meeting of members.

23.    Notice of any amendment to these rules must be deposited in writing with the secretary at least thirty days prior to a General meeting. The Secretary shall then forward such amendments to the members at least fifteen days prior to the General meeting.

24.    No addition, alteration or amendment shall be made to or in the provisions of these rules for the time being in force unless the same shall have been previously approved in writing by the Revenue Commissioners.

These rules were adopted by the Group at its Annual General Meeting on 10 May 2009. They were amended on 8 May 2011 [insertion of new rule 9 – co-option of committee members].