Dear Members,
The rulebook currently in place was adopted by the board of directors on the 14th of June 2017. Pat Ryan, President and director, was one of the directors that voted in favour of the rulebook, and that vote is recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
In adopting the new rulebook the board of directors also pledged to set up a road-show in order to engage, communicate, and consult with the general membership of the IABA. During the presentation which formed the central part of the road-show, which is accessible to all our membership on the IABA website, the general membership was invited to make submissions in regard to the adoption or amendment of any of the rules set out in the current rulebook. It is always the intention of the board to reflect and support the views of the general membership of the IABA.
The board of directors is the ultimate authority responsible in law for the governance of the IABA Limited. The rulebook is the mechanism through which the organisation operates, and the board is the guardian entrusted with ensuring that the IABA operates in compliance with the rulebook.
The reason the Extraordinary Convention has been cancelled is because there is a very clear process through which the membership can seek to change the rules, and that process has not been adhered to. Consequently, the scheduled Extraordinary Convention is invalid and will not result in any changes to the current rulebook.
The inflammatory language and comments of the President Pat Ryan in his letter dated the 3rd of September 2017 are very disappointing, and at odds with both his legal requirement to support board decisions and his vote in favour of the current rulebook on the 14th of June 2017.
It is important that the general membership understand the following:
- All suggested amendments to the rulebook submitted by our membership will be considered by the rulebook sub-committee consisting of Pat Ryan President, Director Joe Hernon Vice President, Director Ciaran Kirwan, Director and Joe Christle, Chairman of the IABA for ultimate approval by the board of directors.
- The board of directors actively invites the general membership to submit amendments to the rules through the dedicated email address rulebook@iaba.ie, or in writing to The Rulebook Sub-committee, National Stadium, Dublin 8.
- The scheduled Extraordinary Convention is invalid and cancelled.
Yours Sincerely,
Joe Christle
Chairman IABA