Standing Orders for Branches 2010

Adopted by the Executive Board 25th February 2010

  1. Name

    The Branch shall be known as “The _________________________ Branch”, hereafter referred to as the Branch, and shall represent the following geographical area: ______ within the Local Electoral Area(s) of ___________ and the Dáil Constituency of ______________

  2. Objectives

    The Branch shall carry out the functions specified in Article 4 of the Constitution.

  3. Composition of Branch

    1. The Branch shall represent the specified geographical area in Standing Order 1 within the Local Electoral Area(s) so specified and the Dáil Constituency so specified.
    2. All Branch members shall be entitled to notice of, to attend and to speak at meetings of the Branch.
    3. No branch shall be affiliated to more than one Divisional Council or more than one Regional Council. Where there is any doubt as to which Council any branch should affiliate to, the matter shall be referred to the Organisation Sub-Committee, whose decision shall be final.
    4. Voting at meetings of the Branch is limited to members of the Branch who have been paid up members of the Party for the previous 2 months.

  4. Branch Officers

    4.1 The Branch shall hold an Annual General Meeting and at its Annual General Meeting elect the following Officers from amongst the members accredited to it and nominated members entitled to make nominations:

    1. Chairperson
    2. Vice-Chairperson
    3. Treasurer
    4. Secretary
    5. Women’s Officer

    In addition the Branch may, if it so wishes, elect:

    1. Equality Officer
    2. Youth Organiser
    3. Public Relations Officer
    4. Branch Organiser
    5. Trustees (including the Treasurer ex officio – if none are elected, the powers of the Trustees shall vest in the Treasurer)
    6. Ordinary members of the Executive (up to 4)
    7. International Affairs Officer
    8. European Officer (this post may be combined with the International Affairs Officer)

    Branches are encouraged and recommended to appoint a Youth Organiser where possible.

    4.2 One person may hold more than one of the officer posts.

    4.3 Tenure of Officers

    No officer shall be entitled to hold any one officer post for longer than 4 consecutive years, after having completed this number of years he or she may not be re-elected to this particular office for at least 2 years (i.e. at the next two subsequent AGMs)

    4.4 Gender Balance

    1. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be of different genders.
    2. The voting membership of the Executive shall, so far as shall be practicable having regard to the candidates nominated for election, comprise not fewer than 30% women and not fewer than 30% men.

    4.5 Roles of Officers

    • The chairperson shall preside over meetings, authenticate by signature the minutes of meetings and exercise a general supervision over the affairs of the Branch.
    • The vice-chairperson shall assist the chairperson in the performance of his/her functions and, in the absence of the chairperson, shall preside over meetings.
    • The secretary shall write minutes of the proceedings of meetings, maintain a record of attendance at meetings and a register of members and shall be responsible for records and correspondence generally.
    • The treasurer shall keep all appropriate accounts and financial books and records and shall ensure the Branch is in compliance with any relevant electoral legislation.
    • The Women’s officer shall keep in contact with Labour Women, attend Labour Women’s council meetings, conferences and other events, report to every meeting on the activities of Labour Women and encourage and support women members, in particular new women members, of the Branch.
    • The Trustees of the Branch have the following functions. Any property or assets of the Branch shall be vested in the trustees of the Branch for the period of their appointment, and in the application of such property and assets the trustees shall be subject to and shall comply with the directives of the Executive.
    • The incoming Secretary shall report the names of the incoming officers to the General Secretary within 10 days of the AGM.

  5. Meetings

    5.1 The Branch shall meet at least 4 times in each calendar year, one of which shall be the AGM.

    5.2 It may hold such other meetings as it decides.

    5.3 In the event of any motion being put to the meeting and the vote on the motion being tied the Chairperson shall have the casting vote.

    5.4 Notice of meeting (other than AGM) shall be sent in writing by the Secretary to all members not less than 7 days prior to the meeting.

    5.5 Where a member has submitted an e-mail address to the Secretary or General Secretary notice by e-mail shall be sufficient notice.

    5.6 Members of the Executive Board, and any other person conferred with such attendance rights under the party constitution, may attend and speak at any meeting of the Branch or Executive thereof.

  6. Agenda for ordinary meetings

    The Agenda is to be drawn-up by the Executive.

    All appropriate business notified to the Secretary 10 days prior to the meeting shall be included in the agenda.

    Where minutes have been circulated at or prior to the meeting, they may be “taken as read” and adopted on a simple vote.

  7. Quorum

    The Quorum shall be 5 members or one third of the Branch membership, whichever is lower, including at least 2 of the Officers.

  8. Executive

    The Executive shall be responsible for the day-to-day running of business between meetings of the Branch.

    Notice of meeting shall be sent in writing (which includes e-mail) by the Secretary to all members not less than 7 days prior to the meeting.

    Quorum for meetings of the Executive shall be one third of voting members including at least one officer.

    The Executive shall consist of

    1. the Officers of the Branch, and
    2. on an ex-officio non-voting basis, all public representatives elected for functional areas wholly or partly within the Branch area
    3. on an ex-officio non-voting basis any Executive Board member and any Senator registered to the Branch,

  9. Annual General Meeting

    The AGM shall normally be held in the month of ____________________

    Notice of the AGM shall be sent in writing by the Secretary, not less than 10 days in advance of the AGM, to each member of the Branch.

    Nominations for Officers must be submitted in writing at a date preceding the date of the AGM to be set by the Executive and set out in the letter convening the AGM. Where no nomination for a particular officer post has been received by the date given for receipt of nominations, the Chairperson will take nominations from the floor during the meeting.

    Where more than one person is nominated to an officer or ordinary Executive position shall be by secret ballot, using proportional representation.

    The business of the AGM shall be:

    1. Minutes of previous AGM (these may be taken as read)
    2. Chairperson’s Address
    3. Secretary’s Report on previous year’s activities
    4. Treasurer’s Report
    5. Election of Officers
    6. Motions (if any)
    7. Any other business which, in the view of the Executive fulfils the objectives of the Branch

  10. Affiliation Fees and Contribution to Election Fund

    The Branch shall carry out such functions as are imposed on it relating to raising funds required to be remitted to the National Election Fund.

  11. Committees

    1. The Branch may from time-to-time appoint such and as many Committees as it may think fit, to advise it on any matter on which it desires information.
    2. The Branch may assign to such Committees such functions and powers as may be necessary.

  12. Special General Meeting

    1. A Special General Meeting may be requested in writing by the Chairperson at his or her discretion, or at the request in writing of half of the membership of the Branch.
    2. The request must contain a statement of the business to be transacted.
    3. No business may be transacted at the Special General Meeting other than the business as stated in the requisition.
    4. The Special General Meeting shall be convened by the Secretary within 10 days of receiving a requisition that accords with this Standing Order.

  13. Suspension of Standing Orders

    Any Standing Order may be suspended by a meeting of the Branch provided that the motion to suspend is consistent with the Party Constitution in the opinion of the Chairperson and is agreed by two-thirds of the members voting.

  14. Alteration of Standing Orders

    1. Standing Orders may not be altered or repealed except by the AGM of the Branch or a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose.
    2. Any proposed alteration of these standing orders shall be notified to the Executive Board.
    3. No alteration or repeal of these Standing Orders shall take effect until ratified by the Executive Board.

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