RULES OF WATERPARK RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB CONTENTS

1. Definitions
2. Name, Objects and Registered Address
3. Club Colours
4. Trustees
5. Management of the Club
6. Sub Committees
7. Committee Membership Conditions
8. Annual General Meetings
9. Extraordinary General Meetings
10. Subscriptions
11. Admission of Members
12. Financial Accounts
13. Resignation of Members
14. Liability of Members
15. Expulsion/Suspension of Members
16. Alteration to Rules
17. Duty of Playing Members
18. Registration of Clubs Acts Excisable Hours
19. Personal Interest in the State Of Excisable liquors
20. Visitors
21. Referees, Members and Officers of Visiting Clubs
22. Temporary Member Rules
23. Social Functions
24. (A) Provision of “Registration of Clubs Act”
(B) Committee No Authority to Make or Alter Rules
25. Rules – Interpretation
26. Deemed Notice

Rule 1DEFINITIONS

In these rules the following definitions and interpretations shall apply
AGM shall mean the Annual General Meeting of the club as defined in Rule 8 hereof.
EGM shall mean the Extraordinary General Meeting as defined in Rule 9 hereof.
Ballot shall mean a secret ballot
The Committee shall mean the Executive Committee
The Club shall mean Waterpark Rugby Football Club
Club Officers shall mean the President, Secretary, Treasurer and Chairperson elected at the AGM
Club Year shall mean from the AGM in any one year to the AGM in the following year
Financial Year shall mean the 12 month period ending the 30th April in any year
Membership Year shall mean from the AGM in any one year to the AGM in the following year.
Special Resolution shall mean a proposal which has been circulated to all members of the Club in writing at least fourteen days before an AGM or and EGM and which is put to a vote and receives approval from at least two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.
Youth Membership shall mean registered members of the Club Youth Section.

Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender and Vice Versa
Words importing the singular shall include the plural and Vice Versa

Rule 2 NAME, OBJECT AND REGISTERED ADDRESS

(A) The name of the Club shall be Waterpark Rugby Football Club and shall consist of members of the different categories contained in the rules.
(B) The registered address of the Club is Waterpark RFC, Ballinakill, Waterford.
(C) The objects of the Club will be to play and promote the game of Rugby Football and the Club shall play according to the Rules of the Irish Rugby Football Union and Irish Women’s Rugby Football Union.
(D) The Club shall also be entitled to carry on other activities, which are approved by the Executive Committee.
(E) The Club is committed to be free of all forms of discrimination, harassment and defamation. and thus it will strive not to discriminate and will take affirmative actions to remove any signs of discrimination
(F) The Club is committed to provide an environment in which Members are able to realise their full potential and to contribute to the success irrespective of their gender /race /ethnicity /nationality /colour /age /religion /disability /civil status /sexual orientation or any other legally protected characteristics. This is a key value which all Members are expected to support. In order to create conditions, in which this goal can be realized, the Club is committed to identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices, procedures and attitudes throughout the organisation.
(G) The Club expects Members to support this commitment and to assist in its realisation in all possible ways.

Rule 3 CLUB COLOURS

The colours of the Club are red and black jerseys. Black or white shorts and red and black stockings.

Rule 4 TRUSTEES

(A) The property of the Club shall be vested in three trustees.
(B) The Trustees shall be subject to the limitations and duties set out here under in these rules. Subject to (C) of this rule, any deed, document, act or thing signed, executed or done by the Trustees on behalf of the Club shall be binding on the Club which was authorised by a resolution of the Executive Committee of the Club.
(C) The trustees may from time to time, with the sanction of a Special Resolution of an AGM or an EGM of the Club pass in manner hereinafter provided by this rule, do all or any of the following acts or things, that is to say: sell, exchange, partition, lease let, borrow, mortgage, charge of otherwise dispose of deal with any property of the club (whether the same be real or personal) for the time being vested in the Trustees or purchase by way of lease or otherwise such property, real of personal, as may be necessary for the purpose of the Club subject as is hereinafter set forth in Clause C(2) hereof.
(D) The Authority of the Trustees to borrow shall be given by the members at an AGM or EGM. A Certificate signed by the Chairman of the Meeting at which any resolution referred to in this rule has been passed shall be conclusive evidence of the passing of such resolution in manner provided by this Rule and of such resolution.
(E) The Trustees may from time to time without the necessity of a Special Resolution deal with all matters referred to in Clause C hereof which are of a minor nature.
(F) The Trustees shall remain in office for a period of seven years until resignation or alternatively until a meeting of an AGM or EGM shall think it proper to remove them or any of them.
(G) No Personal liability shall attach to any Trustee except to the extent that the Trustee is guilty of fraud or grave dishonesty.
(H) In case of a vacancy in the office of Trustee the Executive Committee shall by resolution appoint a temporary trustee who shall be ratified or replaced at an AGM or an EGM within a period of three months to fill such vacancy. The surviving or continuing trustees shall have power not withstanding any vacancy in the number of Trustees.
(I) The Trustees to meet with the Officers of the club at least twice during the club year to discuss various issues.
(J) The club shall undertake to indemnify all Officers, Trustees, Employees, Volunteers, Committee Members or any member of staff of Waterpark Rugby Club.

Rule 5 MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB

(A) The business affairs of the Club and the Management of its property shall subject to Rule 4 hereof be managed by the Executive Committee consisting of the officers of the Club, namely the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, Chairperson and five other full members (elected at the AGM) plus the Chairperson of the Youth Sub-Committee. In the case of an equality of votes for the election of any Committee member at the AGM the final result shall be determined by lot.
(B) All officers and members of the Executive Committee shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election.
(C) No Officer or member of the Executive Committee shall hold a position on the committee for more than five consecutive years.
(D) The Hon. Secretary of the club shall receive in writing, nominations for the positions of Officers of the club seven days prior to the AGM. Each nomination to be proposed and seconded by fully paid up members of the club otherwise the nominations will be treated as null and void.
(E) Five members shall form a quorum of Executive Committee meeting.
(F) The Executive Committee shall meet at least once every four weeks.
(G) Matters arising at any meeting shall be determined by a simple majority of the votes of the members present and the Chairperson shall have a casting vote when there is an equality of votes.
(H) No Decision made by a meeting of the General Committee shall be set aside or altered at a subsequent meeting save on a motion supported by no less than two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.
(I) The Executive Committee has power to co-opt members to fill any vacancies which arise during the year.
(J) Minutes shall be made in proper books of all Executive Committee Meetings, Sub-Committee Meetings, Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General meetings and be signed by the Chairperson.
(K) The Executive Committee shall elect delegates to represent the club on The Munster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union, the Irish Women’s Rugby Football Union and all other Regional Committees of the Munster Branch of the Irish Football Union as required.

Rule 6 SUB COMMITTEES

(A) The Executive Committee may appoint and regulate any number of Sub-Committees.
(B) The Executive Committee may appoint a Chairman on each of the above Sub-Committees.
(C) It is the duty of the Chairman to organize the activities of the Sub-Committee.
(D) The Chairman of the above Sub-Committees must be a member of the Executive Committee.
(E) The Sub- Committees must elect a Vice Chairman to act in the absence of the Chairman.
(F) The Executive Committee has power to alter decisions of all Sub-Committees.
(G) The Chairman of the Youth Section is automatically an Ex Officio member of the Executive Committee.
(H) All Sub-Committees must furnish detailed minutes of their meetings to the Executive Committee.
(I) Minimum of five members to form a Sub-Committee.
(J) Minimum of three members to form a quorum

Rule 7 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP CONDITIONS

(A)Paid up members at the date of the last Annual General Meeting may only become a member of any of the above Committees.
(B) Any member of the Executive Committee that fails to attend four consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee shall be deemed to have forfeited his position on that committee and will not be eligible for re-election at the following AGM.

Rule 8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

(A) The Annual General Meeting shall be held on or before the Annual General Meeting of the Munster Branch of the IRFU in the relevant current year on a date to be fixed by the Executive Committee (unless otherwise determined by the Executive Committee).
(B) Each eligible member must be notified at least fourteen days prior to the holding of the Annual General Meeting either by text, e-mail or in writing and notice of same shall be on the Club Website.
(C) Twenty members shall form a quorum at an Annual General Meeting.
(D) Any matters that require a vote to be taken shall be decided by a simple majority other than a Special Resolution which shall require a majority of two thirds of those members present and entitled to vote.
(E) Notices of motion to be received by the Hon. Secretary of the club at least seven days prior to the holding of an Annual General Meeting duly proposed and seconded by fully paid up members otherwise such Notice of Motion shall be deemed null and void.

Rule 9 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

(A) An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Honorary Secretary when so requested by the Executive Committee or upon a requisition (in writing) setting out the reasons why such a meeting is required signed by at least ten members of the Club.
(B) At least fourteen days’ notice shall be given to each member by the Honorary Secretary by text, e-mail or in writing and notice of same shall be on the Club Website setting out the business of such meeting at which twenty members shall form a quorum.
(C) Any matters that require a vote to be taken shall be decided by a simple majority other than a Special Resolution which shall require two thirds of those members present and entitled to vote.

Rule 10 SUBSCRIPTIONS

(A)All subscriptions shall be payable on or before the 31st December of each season.
(B) Any person whose subscription is in arrears on the 31st December in each season will automatically forfeit their voting rights at an AGM or an EGM.
(C) The amount of each subscription shall be determined by the Committee from time to time.

Rule 11 ADMISSION OF MEMBERS

(A) The club shall consist of Honorary Life Members, paid up Life Members, Paid up Members, Playing Members, Youth Members and Overseas Members.
(B) Honorary Life Members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting by ballot with two thirds majority and shall be persons who, in the opinion of the members, have rendered special service to the Club.
(C) Written notice of such proposed election must be given to the honorary Secretary at least seven days before the AGM.
(D) The mode of election of Playing, Pavilion and Due Life Members Shall be by way of notice or list to the Executive Committee by the Treasurer that the appropriate subscription has been paid, and, be read into the minutes of the Executive Committee meetings.

Rule 12 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

(A) Accounts of the club shall be up to the 30th.of April of each year.
(B) All cheques must carry the signatures of the Hon. Treasurer of the club and also that of any one of the other Officers.

Rule 13 RESIGNATION OF MEMBERS

Any member wishing to resign from the Club shall inform the Honorary Secretary of his intention to do so in writing.

Rule 14 LIABILITIES OF MEMBERS

The liability of members shall be limited to the amount of the Annual Subscription unless such member shall be guilty of fraud or dishonesty.

Rule 15 EXPULSION/SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS

(A) A Disciplinary Committee consisting of one or two Officers of the club together with three other members of the Executive Committee shall be convened to deal with any matter involving the possible expulsion or suspension of any club member.
(B) This committee shall have the power to expel or suspend any member/s whose conduct they consider to be detrimental to the interests of the club.
(C) Any member/s that are expelled or suspended has the right of appeal to the Executive Committee.
(D) Any Officer or Executive Committee member who was involved on the original Disciplinary Committee cannot take part in the appeal hearing.
(E) The findings of the Executive Committee shall be deemed as final.
(F) The member/s who are to appear before the Disciplinary Committee shall be notified in writing at least five days before the said hearing by the Hon. Secretary of the club and the findings of this hearing together with that of any appeal hearing shall be conveyed to the said members as soon as possible after the said hearing/s also in writing by the Hon. Secretary of the club.
(G) The Chairman of each committee shall have the casting vote in the event of any dispute concerning voting rights.

Rule 16 ALTERATION OF RULES

(A) These rules shall not be altered in any way except by Special Resolution of the Club at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for that purpose and determined by two thirds majority vote of the members present and entitled to vote at that meeting.
(B) A notice convening such meeting shall set out details of the proposed additions or amendments to the Rules of Waterpark Rugby Football Club.
(C) The Executive Committee, however, may alter or add to the Rules for the purpose of complying with the provisions of the Registration of Clubs acts 1904 to 1962, or of any act which may be passed amending same.
(D) Notice of amendment or alteration of any of these Rules or any proposal touching the general management of the Club shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before the Extraordinary General Meeting at which such amendments alternations or proposal is intended to be brought forward.
(E) Twenty members to form a quorum at either an AGM or an EGM.

Rule 18 REGISTRATION OF CLUBS ACTS EXCISABLE HOURS

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 56 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1927, as amended by section 6 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962 no excisable liquor shall be supplied for consumption on Club premises to any person (other than a member of the Club, lodging in the Club premises) or be consumed on the Club premises by any person other than a member of the Club lodging in the Club premises.

Rule 19 No member of the Executive Committee, Manager or employee in the club shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquors therein or in profits arising from such sale.

Rule 20 Visitors shall not be supplied with excisable liquor on the Club premises unless on the invitation of and in the company of a member and the member shall upon the admission of the visitor to the club premises or immediately upon such member being supplied with such liquor enter his own name and the name of the visitor and his address in the book which shall be kept of the purpose of which shall show the date of his visit.

Rule 21 Referees and members and officers of visiting Clubs who participate in sporting events against the Club, or at the Clubs invitation, or in tournaments organized by the Club shall be deemed to be members of the Club for the duration of their visit without payment of subscription.

Rule 22 No person shall be elected a temporary member of the Club save in accordance with these rules.

Rule 23 The Club shall be authorized to hold social functions in the Club Pavilion at the discretion of the Committee. Attendance of persons other than Club members to such functions shall be by invitation of the members. The Committee shall fix admission charges etc.

Rule 24 The Committee may alter or add to the Rules for the purpose of complying with the provisions of the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904, or of any Act which may be passed amending same.
But (except for the purpose aforesaid) no rule of the club shall be repealed or altered or new rules made, except by Special Resolution at an AGM or an EGM.

Rule 25 In case any question should arise as to the interpretation of these Rules and Regulations the same shall be decided by the Executive Committee in consultation with their legal advisers.

Rule 26 DEEMED NOTICE

No member shall be absolved from the effect of these Rules, or any bye-laws or regulations of the Club on the ground that he was not supplied with a copy nor had no notice of same.