Constitution of the Irish Primary Physical Education Association
1.The IPPEA will strive to:
(a) support the position of the class teacher as the person best
placed to provide quality physical education within an integrated
primary school curriculum
(b) represent the needs of teachers of physical education in primary
schools, those learning to teach primary physical education and
personnel engaged in working with and supporting teachers and
students of primary physical education
(c) act as a lead body and national consultee for quality physical
education in primary schools and by implication, quality professional
development and support of teachers of physical education
(d) promote and develop high standards by improving knowledge
and understanding of physical education in primary schools and
in the wider society
(e) keep members up to date with latest issues, trends, technologies
and legislative developments in physical education and related
areas
(f) increase public awareness and understanding of the contribution
that the primary teacher makes to physical education, physical
activity and sport
(g) encourage equality of opportunity in the area of physical
education, physical activity and sport.
(h) liaise with the Department of Education and other relevant
bodies
(i) hold, organise and participate in conferences, seminars and
workshops for the purpose of promoting its objectives
(j) encourage and support research in primary physical education,
physical activity and sport, and assist in the publication and
dissemination of this research
(k) recruit the maximum members to the Association.
MEMBERSHIP
2. The number of members with which the Association proposes
to be registered is unlimited.
3. Every member of the Association shall either sign a written
consent to become a member or sign the register of members on
becoming a member.
4. The subscribers to the Association and such other persons as
the Executive Committee shall admit or be deemed to have admitted
to membership in accordance with the provisions hereinafter contained
shall be members of the Association.
5.The Executive Committee shall have responsibility for admissions
to membership within the categories set out below but may refuse
such admission without being bound to assign any reason therefore.
CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP
Member
6. Full Membership may be granted to:
(a) Individuals who possess an approved professional qualification
in primary teaching
(b) Physical education lecturers in the colleges of education
STUDENT
7. Student members are required to be engaged in a course of study
in higher education leading to an initial qualification in primary
teaching. Student members receive all the benefits of Individual
Members, including reduced fees for conferences, and are exempt
from a membership fee. Student members do not have voting rights.
ASSOCIATE
8. Associate membership is open to individuals who have a specific
qualification to teach P.E., individuals who work in the area
of sport and recreation and whose interest and work supports either
PE or school sport. Associate members do not have voting rights
and are not eligible for election to the Executive Committee.
RETIRED MEMBERS
9. Retired members are classed as members who no longer receive
an income (ie. those living solely on a pension).
HONORARY MEMBERS
10. Honorary Members are individuals who do not qualify for membership
but whom the Association wishes to honour in an appropriate manner.
Honorary Members do not have voting rights
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
11. Professional Membership is available to professional associations,
libraries, colleges, teacher centres and other bodies who the
executive committee deem suitable for inclusion in this category.
They will be informed of all IPPEA activities, but do not have
voting rights.
12. The Executive Committee may also at their discretion admit
to membership in any class any person who, although not otherwise
qualified for a particular class, is nonetheless in their opinion
a specially suitable and desirable person to be so admitted.
13. The membership of any member may be cancelled by a resolution
of the majority of the members of the Executive Committee present
and voting at a meeting thereof specially convened for that purpose,
at which not less than six members shall be present, if in the
opinion of such majority such membership is injurious to the interest
of the Association. Such member shall have seven clear days’
notice sent to him/her of such meeting and shall be entitled to
submit to such meeting a statement in writing for the consideration
of the meeting and/or to attend the meeting and be heard in his/her
defence. A member so excluded as aforesaid shall have no claim
to a return of any subscription paid by him, but the Executive
Committee may in its discretion return to him the whole or any
part thereof.
14. Members who by the last day of their membership year have
not paid their subscription for the current year shall cease forthwith
to be members.
GENERAL MEETINGS
15. The Association shall hold a General Meeting in every calendar
year as its Annual General Meeting at such time and place as may
be determined by the Executive Committee. Not more than 15 months
shall elapse between each Annual General Meeting.
16. All General Meetings, other than Annual General Meetings,
shall be called Extraordinary General Meetings.
17. The Executive Committee may, whenever they think fit, convene
an Extraordinary General Meeting, and Extraordinary General Meetings
shall also be convened on such requisition.
18. Fourteen days notice in writing at the least of every Annual
General Meeting and of every meeting convened to pass a Special
Resolution, and 14 days notice in writing at least of every other
General Meeting (excluding in every case both of the day on which
is served or deemed to be served and of the day for which it is
given), specifying the place, the day and hour of meeting, and
in the case of special business the general nature of that business.
In the case of meetings other than Annual General Meetings, a
meeting may be convened by such notice as those members may think
fit.
19. Motions for consideration, and nominations for the election
of executive officers, at an AGM or EGM, must be received by the
Hon. Secretary no less than seven days in advance of the meeting.
20. Discussion shall be confined to the business of the meeting.
21. All motions must be proposed and seconded.
22. A member shall be entitled to speak only once on each motion
or amendment.
23. Once a motion is passed or rejected, it shall not be brought
up again in the same meeting.
VOTING OF MEMBERS
24. All members other than Associate, Student, Corporate, and
Honorary whose subscriptions shall be fully paid-up shall be entitled
to vote at General Meetings of the Association.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
25. The Chairperson or, in his/her absence, the Immediate Past
Chairperson shall be entitled to preside as Chair at all meetings
of the Executive Committee at which they shall be present but
if at any meeting neither be present within five minutes after
the time appointed for the meeting and willing to preside the
members of the Executive Committee present shall choose one of
their number to be Chair of the meeting.
26. The Executive Committee shall comprise the following members:
(a) Chairperson, Hon. Secretary, Hon.Treasurer, Registrar.
(b) Six other executive committee members.
(c) Up to four co-opted members (without voting rights)
27. Election to positions (a) and (b) of Rule 28 is only open
to full members of the IPPEA.
28. The Chairperson’s term of office shall be two years,
or for such time as a General Meeting may decide, (in accordance
with rule 21).
29. The maximum term of office for Secretary, Treasurer and Registrar
shall be three years.
30. The office of a member of the Executive Committee shall be
vacated: -
(a) If he come of unsound mind.
(b) If he ceases to be a member of the Association.
(c) If by notice in writing to the Association he resigns his
office.
31. The Association may from time to time in General Meeting increase
or reduce the number of members of the Executive Committee, and
may make the appointments necessary for affecting any such increase.
32. Failure to attend three consecutive meetings may result in
a member of the Executive being asked to stand down. The Executive
Committee can then co-opt another member to take the vacant voting
position.
33. Five voting members of the Executive shall represent a quorum.34.
Questions arising at the meetings of the Executive shall be decided
by a majority of votes, the Chairperson shall have a second or
casting vote.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
35. The Chairperson shall, in the first instance, be elected.
36. The Executive Committee may delegate any of their powers
to committees consisting of such member or members of the Association
as they may think fit and any committee so formed shall in the
exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations
imposed on it by the Executive
37. The Executive Committee shall cause proper minutes to be
made of all appointments of officers made by the Executive Committee
and of the Proceedings of all meetings of the Association and
of the Executive Committee and of Committees appointed by the
Executive Committee and of all business transacted at such meetings
and any meeting of the Chairman of the next succeeding meeting
shall be sufficient evidence without any further proof of the
facts therein stated.
ACCOUNTS
38. The Executive Committee shall cause proper books of account
to be kept with respect to: -
(a) All sums of money received and expended by the Association
and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditure
take place:
(b) All sales and purchases of goods by the Association and
(c) The assets and liabilities of the Association.
Proper books shall not deemed to be kept if there are not kept
such books of accounts as are necessary to give a true and fair
view of the state of affairs of the Association and to explain
its transactions.
39. At the Annual General Meeting in every year the Executive
Committee shall lay before the Association a proper income and
expenditure account for a period of 12 months since the last preceding
account made up to a date not more than four months before such
meeting, together with a proper balance sheet made up as at the
same date.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
40. The Constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by
not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at
a General Meeting. The notice of the General Meeting must include
notice of the resolution, setting out the terms of the resolution
proposed.