CONSTITUTION FOR GALWAY BAY RUGBY CLUB (As revised and adopted at Annual General Meetings on May 29th 2017 and May 15th 2018 )

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1. Name and Definitions

1.1 The Club will be called Galway Bay Rugby Club (GBRC - Na Bairneachaí) hereinafter referred to as "the Club".

1.2 The address of the Club will be McGrath's Field, Shangort Road, Galway.

1.3 The Club will be affiliated to the Connacht Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

1.4 The objective of the Club is the playing and development of Rugby Union Football and associated activities including, but not restricted to, indoor/outdoor training, hosting home blitzes, social events, fundraising events, away games and tours.

1.5 The Club colours will be a cherry red jersey with navy blue shorts and red socks with blue or white stripes.

1.6 The Club Motto will be "Láidir le Chéile – Strong Together".

1.7 The Club is fully committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of its members, including in particular, its Youth and Underage members. Every individual in the Club should, at all times, show respect and understanding of their rights, safety and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the Club and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport of the Irish Sports Council and the IRFU Child Welfare Policy.

1.8 The Club promotes active participation in rugby regardless of that person's gender, marital status, family status, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, race or ethnic group.

1.9 The club will actively nurture the core values of teamwork, ambition, commitment and mutual respect in order to foster personal development and wellbeing through rugby.

2. Officers of the Club

2.1 The Officers of the Club will be appointed in accordance with the IRFU structures recommended in their document "Club Roles and Responsibilities" (http://www.irishrugby.ie/downloads/IRFU_Roles-Responsibilities.pdf)

2.2 The officers will be Club President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer .

2.3 In addition an Honorary President, Honorary Vice-President, Honorary Chairman and Honorary Secretary may form an Honorary Committee to advise on club operations and development. The term of office will be two years. Candidates must have previously served the Club in a committee or coaching role for a minimum of 5 years. Members of the Honorary Committee may be appointed by election at the AGM or be nominated by the Executive Committee.

2.4 As The Club develops assets (monetary or otherwise) Trustees will be appointed following further amendments to the constitution. All club assets will be vested in the Trustees. The Trustees will be members, ex-officio of all sub-committees concerned with administration of the club. One Trustee will be a member of the Executive Committee but will not have voting rights.

2.5 The Officers will be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club and will hold office FOR TWO YEARS until the next succeeding Annual General Meeting unless otherwise disqualified under these rules. An Officer can serve in any position for a maximum of two consecutive terms. That officer can return to serve in that office at a later stage providing another individual has occupied the position in the intervening period.

If an officer resigns during the course of a year the position will be filled by a nominee of the Executive Committee (until next general meeting).

No officer or member of the committee will be removed from office without the consent of not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at a special meeting.

3. The Executive Committee

3.1 The Executive Committee will comprise the Officers of the Club as well as Ordinary Members who are appointed by the Officers of the Club or at the Annual General Meeting. These non-elected members will ideally hold the role of Club Welfare Officer, Director of Rugby, Registrar, Health and Safety Representative, Data Officer, Volunteer Coordinator, Fixtures Secretary, Media Officer. When trustees are appointed to The Club, a single Trustee will become a member of the Executive Committee. Non-elected members must resign at the end of every season and can be re-appointed annually.

3.2 The Committee will exercise general management and control and will conduct all the business and affairs of the Club. Correct accounts and books will be kept showing the financial affairs and the receipts and disbursements of the club. The committee will have power to make regulations from time to time touching all matters affecting the club and its property.

3.3 The Committee will hold not less than one meeting per two month period during the rugby season.

3.4. The quorum of committee meetings will be five of which two must be elected Officers of the Club. If, at a meeting, a quorum has not assembled within 30 minutes after the time appointed for such meeting, the Secretary may, at his/her discretion, declare such meeting abandoned.

3.5 The Chairman, will chair committee meetings and in the absence of the Chairman the President will act as chairman. In absence of the Club Chairman or President a chairman may be appointed by those present and entitled to vote.

3.6 Each member of the Executive Committee, with the exception of the Trustee representative (in future), will have a vote on all resolutions. In the event of a tie the Chairman will have a second/casting vote.

3.7 The Committee will have power to co-opt such additional members as may be required for special purposes.

3.8 The Committee will have the ability to appoint sub-committees. Each sub- committee will report on a regular basis to the Executive Committee. The term of office for each sub-committee will be one year.

4. General Meetings

4.1 Every Annual General Meeting will be convened by the Club Secretary who will give each member due notice in writing Time, Location and Agenda. The quorum for a General Meeting will be 8. The Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held in the month of May each year. Detailed reports concerning the working of the club for the previous year and its financial position will be presented by the appropriate officers. Annual accounts will be made up to 30th April preceding the Annual General Meeting.

4.2 A Special (Extraordinary) General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the committee or on a requisition to the Club Secretary, signed by not less than 15 full members of the club, giving detailed particulars of the business for which the meeting is required. The Secretary will within 15 days from receipt of such requisition convene a Special General Meeting of the Club.

4.3 The voting at every General Meeting will be by ballot (or at the Chairman's discretion, by show of hands) and in the event of a tie the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote. Only bona fide full members of the Club as defined below can vote at such meetings.

5. Club Membership

5.1 Any person playing and/or training for or with any Club Teams will be considered de facto a playing member of the Club for that season providing their subscription has been paid. Such membership can, however, be cancelled, by a decision of the Club Committee. Persons under 18 years of age shall not be eligible to vote at General Meetings.

5.2 Non playing members will be in the following categories:-

1. Parents or guardians of paid up players (one parent/guardian per paid up player). The Club retains the right to charge a nominal administrative fee for this membership.
2. Members of club committees or club volunteers who are not parents or guardians of paid up players.
3. Coaches who are not parents or guardians of paid up players.
4. Ordinary members. Such membership shall be granted at the absolute discretion of the Club Committee and any member who has paid an appropriate subscription will be considered a bona fide

member of the Club unless such membership has been refused by a

final decision of the Club Committee.
E. The Committee will have power to elect Honorary Life Members.

5.3 If a members conduct himself/herself in the manner that in the opinion of the committee is contrary to the ethos or codes of discipline of the Club the committee may call for an explanation and, if they think fit, remove such a person from membership without any obligation to refund his/her subscription.

The procedure will involve the formation of a three person disciplinary subcommittee (one Club Officer and two Ordinary Members) to assess the alleged breach of code or ethos. None of the subcommittee can have been in any way involved in or witnessed the alleged incident. If necessary the Club can request the Connacht Branch to appoint member(s) to the subcommittee.

Following a hearing the Subcommittee may recommend the following to the Executive Committee: No action required, official warning, temporary suspension or expulsion.

Any decision can be appealed and will require the formation of a 3 person appeals subcommittee (these three individuals must be different from the original three person subcommittee).

5.4 Members whose subscription fees are received after the notice for the AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting are not eligible to vote at that meeting.

6. Subscriptions

6.1 Subscriptions for returning players will be due by 31st October of that rugby season.

7. Data Protection

7.1 The Club will institute measures to ensure compliance with all relevant data protection legislation & regulations"