The Role and Responsibilites of Provincial Councils of Comhaltas

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1. Provincial Councils shall consist of

(a) Chairman

(b) Vice-Chairman

(c) Treasurer

(d) Secretary/Registrar

(e) Two Honorary Auditors, who shall hold no other office in that particular unit

(f) PRO

(g) Treoraí na Gaeilge

(h) Oifigeach na nÓg

(i) Two delegates to Ardchomhairle

(j) Two delegates from each County Board (one may attend from each Branch in a county where no County Board exists). Provincial Councils shall have the right to create further non-voting offices.

 

POWERS AND FUNCTIONS

2. Provincial Councils shall control and direct all activities of An Comhaltas within the province with the exception of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which shall continue under the direction of the Central Executive Council, with the co-operation of the Provincial Council. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary/Registrar, Treasurer and PRO of the Provincial Council shall be automatically members of all Fleadh Committees within the Province, be they County, Provincial or Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

 

3. It shall have, in conjunction with the County Board or Branch where no County Board exists, the right to advise how the County Board or Branch fund should be applied to furthering the Aims and Objectives of An Comhaltas within the county concerned.

 

4 (a) It shall have the right to decide all disputes arising within its province involving members, Branches or County Boards.

 

(b) Provincial Councils shall have the power to submit motions to Annual Congress.

 

5. The Provincial Council shall have the right to suspend and/ or remove any County Board or Branch where no County Board exists, within the Province. Such right shall be exercised only when it has been clearly established that the County Board or Branch concerned has been guilty of conduct which is deemed to be contrary to the rules or ideals and objectives of An Comhaltas, as enshrined in this Constitution, and is calculated to bring An Comhaltas into disrepute. Where a County Board or Branch is suspended or removed, the Provincial Council shall for the time being be empowered to exercise all the functions of the said County Board or Branch. An appeal from

any decision of the Provincial Council shall be to the Central Executive Council, whose decision shall be final.

 

6. Provincial Councils shall meet at least once quarterly on a fixed date, and at a venue to be selected at the previous meeting. The Secretary shall give seven days notice of the meeting, and a copy of the Agenda to all delegates. Dates for all fleadhanna and other competitions shall be allocated on or before the 31st October.

 

7. A special meeting of the Provincial Council may be convened by the Secretary in consultation with the Chairman or at the request of three County Boards.

 

8. The financial affairs of the Provincial Council shall be conducted in accordance with Rules 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 of Section 1 of this Constitution. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Provincial Council shall be responsible to the Trustees of An Comhaltas in all matters arising from such financial affairs.

 

9. The Provincial Council may pay out of its funds the authorised official travelling and subsistence expenses of its officers and of other persons acting under its control.

 

10. The nett profits of the Annual Provincial Fleadh shall be divided in the following manner:

 

(a) To the Branch running the fleadh 25 %

(b) To the County Board 25 %

(c) To the Provincial Executive Council 25 %

(d) To the Central Council 25 %

 

Losses shall be borne in the same proportions.

 

11. The Province shall collect from the County Board or Branch where applicable, the appropriate membership fees, and forward such portion of same as has been determined by Congress annually to Head Office.

 

12. Provincial Councils shall present to Provincial Convention

 

(a) The Secretary’s report

(b) Financial Statement audited by the honorary auditors, together with a list of all duly affiliated County Boards, and all duly affiliated Branches in the Province. This list should show also the total membership in the Province for each financial year.

 

13. A Provincial Council failing to furnish an audited statement of accounts, accurately vouched, shall, after an investigation by the Central Executive Council, be liable to whatever disciplinary action the Central Executive Council may take. This may involve the suspension of any or all of the officers concerned. The Central Executive Council may take control of the work of An Comhaltas within the province until the financial statement is prepared and accepted.

 

14. Perpetual Trophies acquired by the Provincial Fleadh Committee shall be the property of the Provincial Council for use in succeeding Fleadhanna and shall be shown as assets in the manner described in Rule 11 Section 1. The Treasurer of the Provincial Council shall keep a register which will show the location of such Trophies and chattels and arrange that they are available in time for each succeeding Fleadh. He/she shall forward to the Competitions Secretary a list of Trophies. The Treasurer of the Provincial Council shall insure these perpetual Trophies against theft, loss or damage.

 

PROVINCIAL CONVENTIONS

15.  Provincial Conventions shall be held annually on or before the last day of February. Four weeks previous to the date of the meeting, County Secretaries and Branch Secretaries where no County Board exists, shall receive copies of the Financial Statement, Agenda and list of nominees. Candidates for positions shall be nominated by

County Boards, and notified to the Provincial Secretary not later than five weeks prior to Convention.

 

16. The Convention shall consist of:

(a) Officers of the outgoing Provincial Council

(b) The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of each County Board (who shall not be represented

by substitutes), and two representatives from each County Board

 

(c) Two representatives from each Branch affiliated for the current financial year.

 

FUNCTIONS OF THE PROVINCIAL CONVENTION

 

17. The functions of the Provincial Convention shall be:

 

(a) To consider Financial Statements of County Boards

(b) To consider Financial Statements of Branches where no County Board exists

(c) To consider Financial Statements of Provincial Fleadh.

These Financial Statements properly audited must be submitted to the Provincial Secretary annually not later than December 31st .

(d) To consider Financial Statement of the Provincial Council

(e) To consider report of the Provincial Secretary

(f) To elect the following officers: Chairman Vice- Chairman Secretary/Registrar Treasurer PRO Oifigeach na nÓg Treoraí na Gaeilge two Honorary Auditors who shall hold no other office and two delegates to CEC. The Chairman of the Provincial Council shall be a Vice-Chairman of the Central Executive Council. All votes must be cast personally.

 

18. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary/Registrar, Treasurer and PRO described at 17(f) above shall, under the direction of the Provincial Council, constitute a Provincial Standing Committee to deal with matters of urgency arising between meetings of the Provincial Council.

 

19. Provincial Chairmen shall be ‘ex-officio’ members of their respective Councils during the year which follows the termination of their office.

 

20. Provincial Convention shall nominate candidates to be elected at Congress for position of

 

(a) President-General

(b) Treasurer-General

(c) Secretary-General

(d) Registrar-General

(e) Two Óg- Bhaill