Constitution

ISOM Constitution

Title, Objects, Members and Membership

1. TITLE

The title of the Society shall be the Irish Society of Occupational Medicine.

2. OBJECTS

To form a group of medical men and women interested in the practice of occupational medicine or in any of its branches for the purpose of scientific study, social intercourse and mutual help. These objects shall be obtained by holding not less than four meetings in any year at which papers may be read and discussed, and by such other means as the Society or the Council may approve. Duly registered medical practitioners may be invited to such meetings as guests by any member. Other guests may be invited with the permission of the President.

3. MEMBERS

Members shall be (a) Ordinary Members, (b) Associate Members or (c) Honorary Members.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(a) Ordinary Membership: Duly registered medical practitioners actively engaged in the practice of occupational medicine or any of its branches (including teaching and research) shall be eligible for election and continued Ordinary Membership.

(b) Associate Membership: Associate Membership shall be open to duly registered medical practitioners or other persons engaged in the practice of occupational medicine or any of its branches. Associate members may attend all meetings of the Society but shall not eligible for election to any office or to the Council, and shall carry no right to vote.

(c) Honorary Membership: Honorary Membership shall not be confined to duly registered medical practitioners but shall carry no right to vote except where such members have been elected Honorary Members with voting rights.

Election of Members; Officers; Council.

5. ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Every candidate for election to Membership shall be proposed and seconded in writing by Ordinary Members.

Election for Membership (other than Honorary Membership) shall rest with the Council but shall be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting of the Society next following such election. Between the date of the election and the said confirmation the Member shall have the full rights of Ordinary or Associate Membership as the case may be in accordance with the Constitution. If not confirmed at the Annual General Meeting as aforesaid Membership shall forthwith cease. A Member elect shall not vote on the question of confirmation of his membership.

The Council shall instruct the Honorary Secretary to circulate the names of candidates who have been so elected during the preceding year together with the names of proposers and seconders with the notice convening the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

Election for Honorary Membership shall rest with the Society at a General Meeting of the Society provided always submitted with the approval of the Council.

6. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Society (other than the Auditors) shall be Ordinary Members and shall consist of the following:

The President

Immediate Past President

President Elect

The Honorary Secretary

The Honorary Treasurer

The Education Officer

The IT Officer

The Auditors

The President shall hold office for one year. The President or his deputy shall in all matters have a casting vote.

7. COUNCIL

(a) The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Council which shall consist of the Officers of the Society together with 5 Ordinary Members.

(b) No member other than the Officers shall sit on the Council for more than two consecutive years at a time. Four members shall form a quorum of the Council.

(c) The President may co-opt any Member of the Society to the Council. Members so co-opted shall have no vote on the Council.

(d) The Council shall hold no less than four meetings in each year of office.

(e) The continuing Members of the Council may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body.

Casual vacancies; Election of Officers and Council; Annual subscription

8. CASUAL VACANCIES

The Council may fill any casual vacancy occurring in the office of Officer or of the Council, but any Member so appointed shall retain his office so long only as the vacating Member in whose place he is appointed would have retained the same if no vacancy had occurred.

9. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COUNCIL

Any two Ordinary Members may nominate any eligible member of the Society for election to any office or to the Council at the Annual General Meeting, provided that such nomination shall be in writing, together with the nominee's consent and shall have been received by the Secretary not less than three weeks before the A.G.M.

The election of Officers and of the Council shall be conducted by ballot. The votes shall be counted at the A.G.M. of the Society.

10. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

The annual subscription for ordinary members and associate members shall not be less than €120. At the Annual General Meeting of the Society the amount of the annual subscription for the ensuing year shall be decided by resolution of the Members. The subscription fee for retired members is €70. This can be varied at the discretion of the ISOM council.

Annual Subscription shall be payable in advance to the Honorary Treasurer on January 31st of each year.

The ISOM is permitted to have a credit card, which means that it is borrowing money for a period of time. The card should be paid off in full at the end of the interest-free period (usually 1 month) so that no interest accrues. The credit limit is € 15,000; this amount can be varied at the discretion of the ISOM Council.

Lapse of Membership; Continuity of membership; General Meetings

11. LAPSE OF MEMBERSHIP

If the annual subscription due from any member is in arrears for six months a final notice calling for payment shall be sent to such Member by the Honorary Treasurer and if the outstanding sum together with the then current years subscription is not received within fourteen days from the posting of such notice such member shall automatically cease to be a member of the Society. The Honorary Treasurer shall at the next Annual General Meeting of the Association announce the names of such lapsed Members and a record shall be made on the Minutes.

12. CONTINUITY OF MEMBERSHIP

All Ordinary Members shall within three months notify the Honorary Secretary of any change in their status as defined in Rule 4 (a) above. Should the practice of an Ordinary Member change in such a way that he or she is no longer eligible to continue as an Ordinary Member under Rule 4 (a) above- such member shall resign Ordinary Membership. The Council shall have the power to investigate alleged breaches of this Rule and to take any action it thinks fit.

13. GENERAL MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall ordinarily be held not later than the end of November of any year. The Council shall present a report of proceedings since the previous Annual General Meeting of the Society. Officers of the Association and Members of the Council shall be elected. The Council shall present a duly audited Statement of Accounts. Membership of candidates shall be submitted for confirmation.

The notice convening the Annual General Meeting shall be circulated not less than seven days before the Meeting.

On the discretion of the Council or on request of not less than five ordinary Members of the Society the Honorary Secretary shall convene and Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society of which not less than fourteen days notice specifying the business to be transacted shall be given.

A quorum at general Meetings shall be 8 Members competent to vote.

Change of Constitution; Committees

14. CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION

This constitution may be altered or rescinded by the Society in General Meeting provided however than no motion for altering or rescinding the constitution shall be proposed at any General Meeting unless the Council shall first approve the same. Notice of such motion, if approved by the General Council, specifying such alterations, shall be circulated with the notice convening the General Meeting of the Society.

15. COMMITTEES

The Council of the Society in General Meeting may from time to time appoint for such purposes as are thought fit Committees with or without the power to add to the number. Committees so appointed may appoint Sub-Committees with or without a similar power to add. The decisions of the Committees and Sub-Committees shall require the sanction of Council.

16.

In the event of a member of the Press attending an ISOM meeting a Council Member and the speaker (if willing) shall give a short interview before the meeting commences, and, if necessary, a Press release shall afterwards be made available (1987).