Rules of The Cocker Spaniel Club of Ireland

1) The Club shall be called The Cocker Spaniel Cub of Ireland, and is a specialist breed Club. Its objectives shall be to promote the breeding of Cocker Spaniels, to urge the adoption of such types of breeders and judges etc., to establish Field Trials, to offer prizes at shows, and to adopt such other means as may be deemed advisable for the betterment of the breed.

2) The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members. Hon. Members may also be appointed. Such Hon. Members shall have the same rights, privileges and obligations as a member, but will be exempt from paying the annual subscription. Hon. Members shall be proposed sand seconded by two members, this proposal will then be discussed at a Committee meeting and then put forward for acceptance at an A.G.M. The number of Hon. Members must not exceed five at any one time.

3) The management of, and the property of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the following: President, Vice-President, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, IKC Delegate and eight committee members, all of whom shall hold office for one year, but shall be eligible for re-election except for the President, who shall hold office for a period of three years. All officers for election must be members of the Club for a minimum of three years to be eligible for election.

4) Application for membership shall be made in writing on the Club’s Official form, which shall include a signed declaration to abide by Rules and Code of Ethics of the Club and of the Irish Kennel Club, and shall be accompanied by the appropriate subscription. The Committee shall consider such applications at least 30 days before the date of the AGM. The Committee shall have the power to accept or reject applications by a simple majority. In the case of rejections monies shall be refunded. On Election of an individual to membership the Secretary shall send that member a copy of The Rules and the Code of Ethics.

5) The subscription for the year will be €17.00 joint membership i.e. husband and wife, or two people who share the same prefix. A single membership will be €10.00, and members under sixteen years old €2.00 with no voting rights. Membership is due at the conclusion of the AGM. Lapsed members will be given the opportunity of paying arrears of subscription. Should such arrears when paid not exceed 3 years subscription, continuity of membership will be retained, and such members will comply with the requirements of Rule 3. Lapsed members not wishing to pay arrears of subscription, but wishing to re-join, will be treated as new members, and must comply with the requirements of Rule 4.

6) The Club shall keep a record of names and addresses of fully paid up members, which list shall be available to members, to view at AGM.

7) Any member, who may be suspended by The Irish Kennel Club shall automatically and for the same period be regarded as suspended from membership of the Club.

8) No member is empowered to pledge the credit of the Club without obtaining the authority of the Committee; and all items of expenditure shall come before the Committee for approval.

9) The A.G.M. shall be held on a suitable date prior to October 31. Eight members to form a quorum. The Secretary shall notify each member of the date of the AGM a minimum of fourteen days beforehand. All elected Officers and Committee shall assume office on the completion of said AGM. Any candidate for elections shall have been proposed and seconded by members of the Club. If a person is nominated and is not present at the meeting, such nominations shall not be accepted unless the written consent of the nominee to accept the position shall have been deposited with the Secretary prior to the commencement of the Meeting, except under extenuating circumstances.

10) The Officers and Committee shall have the power to require the resignation of any member whose conduct is deemed to be prejudicial to the best interest of the Club. If requested by the member in question, the Committee shall call a Special General Meeting at which the member shall have the right to speak in his/her defence. The decision of the Committee shall be ratified or rescinded by a majority of the members present voting at that Special Meeting. Twenty-one days notice in writing must be given for any Special Meeting; only items on the Agenda may be discussed.

11) The Treasurer shall receive all monies, keep a proper record of receipts and payments and report the financial status of the Club to each meeting of the Committee. The Treasurer shall maintain Banking Accounts in the name of the Club, and any withdrawals from these accounts shall be over the signatures of any two of the three persons nominated by the Committee. The Treasurer shall also submit an audited income and expenditure account to the members of the Annual General Meeting. The Auditor shall be appointed each year at the Annual General Meeting.

12) In the case of an office becoming vacant the Committee have the power to elect one of their members to fill the vacancy and to co-opt a member of the Club to fill the resulting vacancy of the Committee or for any other Committee vacancy.

13) At every Committee Meeting the minutes of the previous meeting shall be read, confirmed and signed before any other business shall be transacted. At least seven days notice shall be given for every meeting and such notice to include an agenda. Members unable to be present should notify the Hon. Secretary and express their views or record their votes as required. The President of Vice-President shall preside at meetings or in their absence a Chairperson shall be appointed. The Chairperson of each meeting shall have vote and a casting vote. Questions arising at Committee Meetings shall be decided by a majority of those present and voting. The quorum of any Committee Meeting shall be four.

14) No cups or special prizes shall be offered for competition at any Show or Field Trial which is not under the rules of the Irish or English Kennel Club, or at which an approved judge does not officiate, Should this Club cease to function or should its affairs be wound up, it has agreed to hand all cups into the Irish Kennel Club to act as trustee and to observe the wished of the donors as far as possible.

15) No rule may be revised save on written notice of motion duly proposed and seconded. Notices of motions must be forwarded to Hon. Secretary not later than 21 days prior to the AGM.

16) The Irish Kennel Club shall be the final court of appeal in all matters of dispute and in all cases relative to canine or Club matters.

Issued October 2008.