Article 1

TITLE:

The name of the Club is: Garda Síochána Boat Club

Article 2

COLOURS:

The colours of the Club are: White and Azure.

Article 3

OBJECT:

The object of the Club is to promote the interests of competitive rowing in An Garda Siochana.

(a)   To acquire by purchase, lease sub-lease, exchange, hire or licence or otherwise and hold for any estate or interest, the lands in occupation by the Club at Longmeadows, Islandbridge, Dublin 8, or otherwise to acquire other lands and premises and to lay out, prepare, maintain, repair and alter the same for use by members of the Club for the purposes of competitive rowing for members of An Garda Siochana and other purposes of the Club to include use of portion of the premises as a pitch and putt course and to acquire and provide clubhouses, pavilions, lounges, refreshment rooms, workshops, sheds, stores and other conveniences in connection therewith and to furnish and maintain the same and to permit the same and the property of the Club to be used by members of the Club and other persons, either gratuitously or for payment.

(b)   To carry on in such a premises the business of hoteliers, restaurateurs, caterers, dancehall operators, room hirers, licensed vintners and all other business which are capable of being carried on in any part of the said premises.

(c)   To purchase, sell, deal in, make or provide all kinds of goods, food and drink which may be conveniently used by, sold or provided to members of the Club and all other persons who enter upon any of the Club’s lands or premises.

(d)   To purchase, sell, deal in, make or provide all kinds of boats, sculls, and all equipment, apparatus, and clothing, which may be used in connection with competitive rowing by members of An Garda Siochana and other sports and pastimes and all kinds of provisions or refreshments which may be used or consumed by members of the Club.

(e)   To purchase, take on, lease or in exchange, or otherwise acquire any lands, buildings, easements, rights, of property (real or personal) which may be required for the purposes of or which may be conveniently used in connection with any of the objects of the Club and to sell, demise, mortgage, charge, exchange or otherwise dispose of any of the same.

(f)    To apply for, purchase, or by other means acquire and protect, prolong and renew any licences, authorisations, permits and concessions which may appear likely to be advantageous or useful to the Club or any business or activity carried on by the Club or any tenant or licensee of the Club.

(g)   To use or permit to be used any of the lands or premises acquired by the Club for events of all kinds (including sporting, dancing, musical entertainments of all kinds) and to charge entrance fees and other charges to persons attending such events.

(h)   To hire and employ managers, servants, agents, consultants, advisors and employees of all kinds and to pay to them and to other persons in return for services rendered to the Club) salaries, wages, fees, gratuities, pensions and payments of every kind.

(i)    To borrow or raise money in such manner as the Club shall think fit and to secure the repayment of any money borrowed, raised, or owing by mortgage, charge or lien upon the whole or any part of the Club’s property or assets (of the present or future).

Article 4

AFFILIATION:

The Club is affiliated to and in all respects shall conform with the rules of the Rowing Ireland.

Article 5

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership of the Club is confined to:

(a)     Members of An Garda Síochána.

(b)     Former members of An Garda Síochána who were members of the Club prior to retirement or resignation from An Garda Síochána who have an active interest in the Club.

(c)     Coaches and Coxswains of crews in the Club.

(d)     Trainee members of An Garda Síochána.

(e)     The Committee is empowered to enrol any son or daughter of a club member while he/she is actively involved in rowing or sculling, to represent the club in any competition.

(f)      Members of the Garda Reserve

(g)   Any member of Garda Staff.  (

(h)   The partner of any full member, who has a child registered with the junior club, following consideration by the committee.  (Rule change For review after 2 years, with the exception that no more than three such persons can be elected onto the committee and not eligible for positions other than committee member only) . 

Article 6

MEMBERSHIP FEES:

(a)     Every member shall pay a membership fee of one hundred and fifty six euros each year to the Club not later than 31st December in respect of the following year.  Any member joining after 10th September 2019 shall be subject to an annual membership fee of €5 per week or €260 per year.

(b)     Any member of the Club whose membership fee remains unpaid shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club and his name shall be struck off the Register of members by the Committee.

(c)     Any member who ceases to be a member of the Club shall have no claim to the property of the Club or have any part of his membership fee refunded.

(d)     Members may elect to pay their membership fees in advance by periodic deductions from their salary or by direct debit from their bank account in respect of the following year commencing on 1st January

Article 7

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP:

(a)     The Committee is empowered to enrol any person as an Associate member of the Club.

(b)     Associate members shall:-

(i)     Upon joining after 31st December 2016 pay an annual membership fee of €260 to the club.

(ii)    conform with the rules of the Club and any regulations made by the Committee.

(iii)  be permitted to use the gymnasium for training purposes.

(iv)  not be eligible for election to the Committee or have a vote at any meeting of the Club.

(v)    not be permitted to use any oar or boat belonging to the Club.

Article 8

NEW MEMBERS:

(a)     The names and addresses of candidates who wish to become members of the Club, together with the names of a proposer and seconder (who shall be members of the Club) shall be posted on the notice board in the Club premises at least seven days before being submitted to the Committee for election.

(b)     Candidates shall complete the prescribed form of registration and submit it to the Honorary Secretary.

(c)     The proposer and seconder shall furnish any information concerning candidates to the Committee, if requested

(d)     An interval of not less than two weeks shall elapse between nomination and election of ordinary members

(e)     The Committee is empowered to refuse any application for membership of the Club, refuse to renew membership or withdraw membership from any member, without being obliged to give any reason therefor.

(f)      No person shall be allowed to become an honorary or temporary member of the Club.

Article 9

MANAGEMENT:

(a)     The business affairs of the Club shall be under the Management of a Committee of Club Members consisting of:

President, two Deputy Presidents, Captain, Vice Captains (who shall not exceed four), Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Assistant Secretary, Honorary Assistant Treasurer and ten other members of the Club who shall be elected each year by the members at the Annual General Meeting, which shall be held on or before the 15th day of September, except the Vice Captains who shall be appointed by the Committee and given specific responsibility.

(b)     Should any member of the Committee fail to carry out his duties, the Committee is empowered to remove him from office and to fill this and any other vacancy on the Committee that may occur during the year

Article 10

PAST PRESIDENT:

A President of the Club, having vacated that office, shall remain an ex-officio member of the Committee for the following year.

Article 11

CAPTAIN:

(a)     The Captain, assisted by Vice Captains and Coaches is responsible for the training of members, the management of crews and all other matters concerning rowing in the Club.  He/She shall:-

(i)         have responsibility for the proper maintenance of all boats and equipment,

(ii)       select regattas at which to compete, for overseas events, the approval of the Committee must be given in advance,

(iii)     keep a record in a book provided of all regattas or other events attended by the Club, including the names of all crews entered for each event and results,

(iv)      making a report in writing, on the progress or otherwise of the training of members and any matter under his control at every meeting of the Committee and on all rowing activities for the year, at the Annual General Meeting.

(b)     Boats, oars, towing vehicles, trailers or other equipment shall not be loaned or hired to any person or club without the prior approval of the Committee.

(c)     The necessary expenses of members competing at approved regattas, shall, where possible, be defrayed by the Club.  All trophies and pennants won at regattas shall become the property of the Club.

Article 12

HONORARY SECRETARY:

The Honorary Secretary is responsible for the running of the general business activities of the Club.  He/She shall: -

(a)     attend and keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings of the Club and Committee,

(b)     prepare an agenda and keep a record of the names of members attending every meeting,

(c)     place all correspondence received before the following meeting,

(d)     keep a register of the names and addresses of Club members who shall be allocated a Registered number from the Club and a membership card bearing his name and Club number,

(e)     post a list of names of members in a prominent position in the Club,

(f)      make a report, in writing, covering the business affairs of the Club for the year at the Annual General Meeting.

The Honorary Assistant Secretary is responsible for such duties as may be delegated to him/her by the Honorary Secretary.

Article 13

HONORARY TREASURER:

(a)   The Honorary Treasurer is responsible for all the financial affairs of the Club.  He shall:-

(i)         keep an exact record of the accounts of all monies received and paid out,

(ii)       present a detailed statement of all matters relating to the financial affairs of the Club, including income and expenditure at every meeting of the Committee,

(iii)     make payments by cheque, bearing his signature and that of the Honorary Secretary after approval has been given by the Committee for such payments,

(iv)      present a report on the accounts of the Club, certified by the Club's auditor, to the Annual General Meeting.

(b)     No member of the Club shall involve the Club in any financial liability, unless authorised to do so by the Committee.

(c)     The Honorary Assistant Treasurer is responsible for such duties as may be delegated to him by the Honorary Treasurer.

Article 14

AUDITOR:

All the accounts of the Club shall be audited by a properly qualified auditor, selected by the Committee, at least once, in every year, and a certified statement of accounts shall be presented to the Committee for approval before the Annual General Meeting, in respect of the year ending 30th June.

Article 15

SUB-COMMITTEES:

The Committee is empowered to appoint sub-committees to assist in the running of the affairs of the Club and to delegate the necessary authority and responsibility.  The Chairman of every sub-committee shall make a report, in writing, at every meeting of the Committee.

Article 16

REGATTA:

The Committee is empowered to undertake the organisation of a Regatta or other event under Rowing Ireland rules or become affiliated to Dublin Metropolitan Regatta Council, as a constituent Club.

Article 17

MISCONDUCT:

(a)     In the event of any member disregarding the Rules and Regulations of the Club or conducting himself in a manner not for the well being of the Club, he/she shall be called upon by the Committee to resign from the Club and if he/she fails to do so, he/she shall be expelled by the Committee and forfeit any interest or claim he/she may have on the Club.

(b)     Members shall be obliged to inform the Committee of any members misconduct or violation of the Rules of the Club.

(c)     Any member expelled from the Club shall have the right to appeal to an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with Article 20.

(d)     A majority of three fourths of the members present at the meeting and voting will be necessary to rescind the decision of the Committee.

Article 18

COMMITTEE MEETINGS:

(a)     The Committee shall hold meetings as often as necessary but at least once, every month to transact the business of the Club.

(b)     Eight members shall form a quorum.  If within half an hour from the time appointed for the holding of a Committee meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned for a period not exceeding one week.  The Honorary Secretary shall notify absent members accordingly.  If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, not less than five members present shall constitute a quorum.

(c)     The Honorary Secretary shall notify all members of the date, time and venue of meetings, by letter, which shall include an Agenda for the meeting, at least seven days in advance.

(d)     Any member of the Committee who absents himself from three consecutive meetings shall be deemed to have resigned.

Article 19

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

(a)      The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on or before the 15th September.

(b)     The date, time and venue shall be fixed by the Committee and the Honorary Secretary shall notify every member accordingly, in writing, fourteen days in advance.  The notice shall include the Agenda for the meeting and any resolutions or proposed amendments to the Constitution and Rules of the Club.

(c)     The members present at the meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Article 20

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS:

(a)     At the request any of ten members of the Club, in writing, the Honorary Secretary shall convene an extraordinary general meeting of Club members.

(b)     The formal request must state the purpose for which the meeting is being called.

(c)     The Honorary Secretary shall convene a meeting within fourteen days of receipt of such request and notify all members, in writing, of the date, time and venue and the purpose for which the meeting is being called and to which it is confined.

(d)     Twenty members shall form a quorum.  If within half an hour from the time appointed for the holding of an Extraordinary General meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be dissolved.

Article 21

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS:

(a)     The Committee may call a special general meeting at any time to consider some specific matter of importance or to transact any special business, deemed to be necessary.

(b)     The Honorary Secretary shall notify all members of the date, time and venue of the meeting, in writing, fourteen days in advance, except in a matter of urgency, when the Committee may decide to call a meeting at shorter notice.

(c)     The members present at the meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Article 22

CHAIRMAN:

(a)     The President or in his absence, one of the Deputy Presidents shall preside at all meetings of the Club or Committee.  If at any meeting, none of them be present, the members shall elect a Chairman from among those present.

(b)       The Chairman may, with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present and he shall, if so directed by the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time, but no business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than business which might have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.

Article 23

VOTING:

(a) Every member of the Club shall have one vote.

(b) No member, other than a member duly registered and having paid all subscriptions        due to the Club in respect of his membership shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Club.

(c) Questions arising at any meeting must have a proposer and seconder and shall be     decided by a majority of votes.  When there is more than one resolution proposed in relation to a particular subject, the Chairman shall put each motion to a vote.  The first resolution to receive a majority shall be declared carried and the remainder lost.

(d) When there is an equality of votes at a meeting, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

Article 24

REGISTRATION OF CLUB:

(a)     The Club shall be registered under the Registration of Clubs Act.

(b)     The Honorary Secretary shall arrange for the renewal of the Certificate of Registration at least twenty-one days before expiry, in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

(c)     The supply of excisable liquor on the Club premises shall be under the control of the Committee.

(d)     No member of the Committee and no manager or servant employed in the Club shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquor therein or in the profits arising from such sale.

(e)     A visitor shall not be supplied with excisable liquor in the Club premises unless on the invitation and in the company of a member and that the member shall upon the admission of such visitor to the Club premises, or immediately upon his being supplied with such liquor, enter his own name and the name and address of the visitor in a book kept for that purpose, which shall show the date of each visit.

(f)      No excisable liquor shall be sold or supplied to any person under eighteen years of age, on the Club premises.

(g)     No excisable liquor shall be sold or supplied for consumption outside the premises of the Club, except to members of the Club, between the hours of eight o'clock in the morning and ten o'clock at night.

(h)     No excisable liquor shall be supplied for consumption on the club premises to any person or be consumed on the Club premises by any person,

(i) On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, before the hour of half past ten o’clock in the morning and after the hour of half past eleven o’clock in the evening.  On Thursday, before the hour of half past ten o’clock in the morning and after the hour of half past eleven o’clock the following morning. On Friday and Saturday, before the hour of half past ten o’clock in the morning and after the hour of half past twelve o’clock the following morning.  On Sunday, before the hour of half past twelve o’clock in the afternoon and after the hour of eleven o’clock in the evening.

(ii) On Saint Patrick’s Day, before the hour of half past twelve o’clock in the afternoon and after the hour of half past twelve o’clock the following morning.

(iii) On 23rd December, if it falls on a Sunday, before the hour of half past ten o’clock in the morning and after the hour of half past eleven o’clock in the evening.

(iv) On Christmas Eve and the eve of Good Friday, before the hour of half past ten o’clock in the morning and after the hour of half past eleven o’clock in the evening.

(v) On the eve of any public holiday (other than Christmas Eve)

·       if the eve falls on a week-day, before the hour of half past ten o’clock in the morning and after the hour of half past twelve o’clock the following morning.

·       if the eve falls on a Sunday, before the hour of half past twelve o’clock in the afternoon and after the hour of half past twelve o’clock the following morning.

(vi)   at any time on Christmas Day or Good Friday.

Article 25

TRUSTEES:

(a)     The income, property and assets of the Club, however constituted, shall be vested in three trustees and all formalities necessary to achieve this objective on the coming into operation of this constitution, shall be complied with.  The said trustees shall be appointed by the Committee for the time being and in the event of a vacancy occurring, the Committee shall fill such vacancy.

(b)     The income and property of the Club shall be dealt with as directed by the Committee or by resolution of a General Meeting of the club, duly convened for that purpose.

(c)     The Club shall indemnify the trustees and each of them from and against all proceedings, costs, claims, expenses and liabilities arising in the bona fide course of their duties as trustees of the Club.

Article 26

HONOURS:

The Committee is empowered to award the honour of Life Membership to any person who, in their opinion, has given exceptional service to the Club over a period of years.

Article 27

SUPPORTERS CLUB:

(a)     The Committee is empowered at any time to establish a Supporters Club, whose function shall be to support financially and otherwise, rowing, in the Club.

(b)     The Committee is not responsible for any debts incurred by the Supporters Club.

Article 28

JUNIOR ROWING CLUB:

(a)     The Committee is empowered to establish a Junior Rowing Club under the auspices of the Club to cater for the families of members of An Garda Síochána and former members of An Garda Síochána.

(b)     Membership of the Junior Club shall be at the approval of the Committee of Garda Síochána Boat Club.

(c)     Every member of the Junior Club shall pay a membership fee of seventy-six euros each year not later than 31st March.

(d)     The Junior Club shall not involve the Garda Síochána Boat Club in any financial liability unless authorised to do so by the Committee of Garda Síochána Boat Club.

(e)     Membership of the Junior Club shall cease for all Junior members on the occurrence of the first day of their 18th year of age.

(i)    Where any grouping of three (3) persons, from the same family unit, whom at least one of which are members of the junior rowing club and the adult person(s) is a parent/guardian, will pay a yearly membership fee of €300 not later than the 31st March.  Any additional juveniles added to this family membership exceeding four (4) shall not incur any additional costs.

T t

MATTERS NOT SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED FOR:

(a)     The Committee is empowered to decide and arrange all matters that may arise from time to time and not specifically provided for in these Rules and to make any Regulations deemed to be necessary, provided they do not contravene the existing Constitution and Rules of the Club. These regulations shall be regarded as supplementary rules to the existing rules and shall be binding on all members.

(b)     All questions as to the correct interpretation of the Constitution and Rules of the Club shall be referred to the Committee whose decision thereon shall be final.

Article 30

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION:

(a)     The Constitution and Rules of the Club shall not be altered or repealed and no new rule shall be adopted unless formally proposed and seconded at the Annual or Special General Meeting of the Club.

(b)     Any motion to alter the Constitution and Rules must be handed to the Honorary Secretary, formally drafted and signed by the proposer and seconder, at least twenty-eight days before the meeting.

(c)     All motions shall be included on the Agenda and will require a majority of three fourths of the members present and voting in favour, in order to formally adopt such motions.

Updated at the Annual General Meeting September, 2021