1.NAME

The name of the association is the Irish Pétanque Association (hereinafter called 'the IPA').

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the IPA shall be to develop and regulate the sport of Pétanque and safeguard its interests for the benefit of the Irish community, and particularly :

2.1. to affiliate to the IPA all Pétanque players and clubs who are willing to abide by its constitution and rules;

2.2. to encourage and co-ordinate the formation of an infrastructure of clubs with qualified coaches and competent administrators and technical officials;

2.3. to approve and co-ordinate a programme of competition for players, clubs and selected teams representing the IPA, and to formulate rules for such competitions and representation;

2.4 to provide information about Pétanque and its organisation;

2.5 to co-operate with or affiliate to any organisation whose objectives coincide with those of the IPA;

2.6. to promote the provision of appropriate facilities for Pétanque in Ireland;

2.7. to promote standards of excellence in Pétanque in Ireland; and

2.8.to promote the enjoyment of Pétanque in Ireland.

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Membership of the IPA shall be open to those who support its stated objectives and abide by its constitution and rules. Membership shall be open to both males and females and shall consist of:

3.1.1 Ordinary Members who are aged 18 years or over on 1st January of the current year and who either were born in Ireland or are in residence in Ireland for at least one year;

3.1.2 Junior Members who are aged under 18 years on 1st January of the current year and who either were born in Ireland or are in residence in Ireland for at least one year;

3.1.3 Associate Members who were not born in Ireland and whose current residence in Ireland is for less than one year. Associate Members shall not be entitled to hold office in the IPA or to represent the IPA, unless, in exceptional cases, so approved by the IPA Council ** ( the Council ); ** See the Council composition at 8. below

3.1.4 Affiliated Pétanque clubs in Ireland constituted in accordance with IPA guidelines. (Hereinafter called ‘clubs’)and

3.1.5.Honorary Lifetime members. Such membership shall (a) be conferred on those members considered, by the Council, to have made a significant contribution to Pétanque in Ireland and (b) be considered/agreed by the Council at its AGM.

3.1.6 The IPA shall have the power to issue national licences to members.

3.2 To be entitled to vote at any General Meeting (including the AGM) of the IPA a member must: (a) be an ordinary member of the IPA; (b) have been a member of good standing of the IPA (i.e. have not allowed their membership to lapse)during the year prior to the year in which the General Meeting is being held; and (c)have paid the annual membership subscription for the year in which the General Meeting is being held.

3.3 Application for Membership shall be made to the Council. The application shall be submitted on the appropriate form and be accompanied by the annual subscription as the Council shall from time to time determine. The membership year shall be 1st April to 31st March.

3.4 Applications for Membership shall be considered by the Council, which shall have the power to accept or refuse any application for membership at any time. (a)In the event that an individual’s application for membership is refused, he/she will have the right to appeal within 28 days of notification of refusal. Any appeal must be in writing to the Hon.Sec. ( email is acceptable ) and must be received by the due date. The Hon. Sec will acknowledge receipt of the appeal. The Council will give no consideration to any appeal which does not satisfy the aforementioned conditions. The Council’s decision shall be final.

3.5 Members and clubs shall pay to the IPA an annual subscription as the Council shall from time to time determine.

3.6 Membership of an affiliated club does not imply membership of the IPA unless an arrangement to that effect has been approved by the Council.

4. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

4.1 Subscriptions for the incoming membership year ( see Para 3.3 above ) shall be due by 31 March. Anyone who has not paid their subscription for the membership year in which the AGM takes place will be deemed to be in arrears and not entitled to attend or vote at the AGM or any other meeting until their subscription for the year has been paid. The membership of any member who has not paid their subscription within two months of it falling due shall lapse.

4.2 A member or club may resign membership by writing ( email is acceptable )to the Hon. Sec. of the IPA.

4.3 The Council shall have the power to suspend or terminate the membership of any member or club deemed guilty of behaviour, whether within the club or elsewhere, which, in the Council's opinion, is prejudicial to the good name or smooth running of the IPA or the sport. For the purpose of exercising this power, the Council shall appoint a disciplinary committee. A member or club under threat of such action may make representation in writing and/or in person to this committee.

4.4 A member or club whose membership has been suspended or terminated shall have the right of appeal to the Council provided a written appeal, accompanied by an appeal fee, as determined by the Council, is lodged with the Hon.Sec.within 28 days of the disciplinary committee's decision. The Hon.Sec. will acknowledge receipt of the appeal. If the appeal is upheld, the appeal fee shall be returned. The Council's decision shall be final.

5.GOVERNMENT The government and general direction of the affairs of the IPA shall be exercised by the Council.

6. REGIONS The IPA shall recognise such properly constituted regions as shall be necessary to facilitate administration and the liaison with governmental and non-governmental organisations in Ireland.

7. FINANCIAL GOVERNANCE 7.1 Through the Honorary Treasurer, the Council shall request, receive and account for, monies on behalf of the IPA.

7.2 The Council shall employ the funds and assets of the IPA only in the furtherance of its objectives. At no time and in no circumstances shall assets of the IPA be distributed among members either on an interim or on a winding-up basis.

7.3 In the event of a dissolution of the IPA, the funds and assets remaining after satisfaction of debts and liabilities shall be transferred to a sports governing body in Ireland with objects similar to those of the IPA, provided that the rules of such a body preclude the distribution of such assets to its members.

8.THE COUNCIL

8.1 The IPA shall, at its Annual General Meeting, elect from its Ordinary membership a Council consisting of (a)the President of the IPA; (b)the Honorary Secretary of the IPA; (c)the Honorary Treasurer of the IPA; and (d)as many other members of the IPA as are considered necessary for fair representation of the general membership and affiliated clubs, and proper administration of IPA affairs.

8.2 The Council may co-opt from the Ordinary membership up to a maximum of three additional members.

8.3 No one club shall have a majority on the Council, except where they are co-opted members.

8.4 All members of Council when elected or co-opted shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting when they shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.

8.5 The Council, from its membership may appoint the following: (a) National Umpire; (b) Regional Co-ordinators; (c) Public Relations Officer; (d) Sponsorship Officer; (e) Coaching Convener; (f) Membership Secretary; (g) Competitions Officer; (h) Selection Panel for National representation; and (i) Other officers as it may from time to time require. Such officers, if not elected or co-opted members of Council, may be invited by Council to attend its meetings, but shall not vote.

8.6 The Council has the power to appoint the following officers from its membership or from the Ordinary membership of the Association (a) President of Council; and (b) Vice-President of Council.

8.7 The IPA President ( or an officer of the Council authorised by the IPA President ) shall arrange a minimum of 2 meetings of the Council per annum. Five members shall form a quorum.

8.8 The decisions of the Council shall be taken by general agreement or simple majority vote of Council members present,** and the President, or the person voted to the Chair in his/her absence, shall have a casting as well as a deliberative vote. Decisions taken at any meeting may be amended or revoked at any subsequent properly convened meeting of the Council by a majority of the Council members present. No-one shall be compelled to vote. Abstentions shall not be counted in the total votes cast. The decisions of the Council, shall be recorded by the Honorary Secretary. ** Decisions may be taken by the Council through the medium of email, rather than at a formal meeting. Any decision so taken will be presented for ratification at the next available Council meeting/AGM.

8.9 The Council shall have overall control of all the activities, finance and welfare of the IPA. It shall have the power to appoint and dissolve committees when necessary and to delegate any powers except the election or rejection of members.

8.10 The Council shall approve terms of reference and duties for all committees and officers of the Association.

8.11 The Council shall have the power to formulate, approve and issue rules for the conduct of business, competition, selection of IPA representatives and other matters requiring regulation. Such rules shall not contravene the constitution of the IPA nor any rules or regulations of the International Federation (FIPJP).

8.12 The Council shall have the power to formulate, approve and issue an annual programme of events and activities.

9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

9.1 The IPA year shall end on 31 December.

9.2 The IPA shall hold an Annual General Meeting in the month of February each year.

9.3 The notice convening the Annual General Meeting, accompanied by the agenda for the meeting, shall be circulated by the Honorary Secretary, at least 21 days before the meeting.

9.4 An Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the preceding year shall be prepared by the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer respectively and presented at the Annual General Meeting and appended to the minutes of the meeting.

9.5 The following business shall be conducted at the Annual General Meeting:

(a)Consider and approve (with amendment if necessary)the minutes of the previous annual General Meeting and, if called, Special General Meeting;

(b)Consider matters arising from the minutes of(a)above;

(c)Consider the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the preceding year;

(d)Elect the President, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and other members of Council;

Note1: Nominations for Council should be made in writing, signed by a proposer and seconder, shall confirm that the nominee is willing to serve as nominated and shall be received by the Hon. Secretary not less than seven days prior to the date of the meeting. Such proposed members, must have been a member of good standing during the previous calendar year.

Note 2: If the number of written nominations received by the due date at Note 1. above, are insufficient to elect a Council as envisaged at para 8.1 (a) to (d) above, then attendees at the AGM may elect Council members from those nominated in writing and others who may be proposed and seconded at the meeting.

(e)Appoint Auditors for the ensuing year;

(f) Consider cases for Honorary Lifetime membership;

(g)Consider and transact any other agenda business of which 28 days prior notice shall be given in writing to the Hon. Secretary; and

(h)Consider such matters as the Council desires to bring before the members or are raised by members at the meeting, provided such matters are not for decision at the meeting.

10.SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

10.1 A Special General Meeting may be summoned at any time by (a) the Council, or (b) on a requisition signed by one fifth of the Ordinary membership for the discussion of any special business.

10.2 The reason for the Special General Meeting shall be clearly stated.

10.3 The Special General Meeting shall be convened by the Hon.Secretary, within 30 days of receipt of the properly constituted request.

10.4 Not less than 14 days notice of a Special General Meeting and the nature of the business to be dealt with shall be given to the members. No business, other than the business specified in the notice of meeting, shall be dealt with at the meeting.

11.CONDUCT OF GENERAL MEETINGS

11.1 At all General Meetings the President of the Council, or in his/her absence the Vice-President or another member of Council selected by the Council, shall take the Chair.

11.2 All members shall be entitled to attend.

11.3 The quorum of all General Meetings shall be one fifth of the membership in good standing.

11.4 A vote may be taken on any properly raised item of business at a General Meeting providing that there is a proposer and seconder and unless the proposal has been withdrawn by its proposer and seconder.

11.5 Unless the business relates to an alteration of the constitution or dissolution (see 12 & 13), motions properly presented to a General Meeting shall be decided on the basis of a simple majority vote of Ordinary members present and voting, and in the event of a tie, the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.

11.6 Abstentions shall not be counted in the total votes cast.

11.7 A member shall not cast more than one deliberative vote at a General Meeting.

11.8 Votes at a General Meeting shall be recorded by the Hon. Secretary.

11.9 Voting by proxy will not be allowed

12. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION

The constitution may be altered at any General Meeting provided that (a)proper notice is given of such meeting and alteration, and (b) there is a quorum at the meeting of one fifth of the Ordinary membership, and (c) the repeal, amendment or addition has been adopted by not less than a two-third majority of the Ordinary members present and voting at such a General Meeting.

13. DISSOLUTION

13.1 The IPA may be dissolved only by a resolution passed at a properly convened Special General Meeting called specifically for the purpose of such a resolution, provided : (a) there is a quorum at the meeting of one fifth of the Ordinary membership, and (b) the resolution has been adopted by not less than a two-third majority of the Ordinary members present and voting.

13.2 The dissolution shall take effect on such date as determined at the said General Meeting.

14. INTERPRETATION

14.1 Disputes in regard to rules established by Council shall be referred for interpretation to Council whose decision shall be final.

14.2 Disputes in regard to the Constitution shall be referred for interpretation to the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting convened for that purpose whose decision shall be final.

DECLARATION It is hereby certified that this document represents the true Constitution of the Irish Pétanque Association as from the Annual/Special General Meeting on 29th April 2000 Signed : D Nightingale - President 10 March 2010

Founding Constitution - '1990' AGM

1st Amendment -'1991' AGM

2nd Amendment -'1992' AGM

3rd Amendment -‘2000’ EGM

4th Amendment -‘2008’ AGM

5th Amendment -‘2010’ AGM