To all voting members,
Firstly, many thanks to all of you who hosted and attended our Regional meetings over the past few weeks, it was great to catch up with you and hear your views.
You will be now have received the EGM notice issued last week. The meeting will be held as a hybrid event and we hope that you will attend either in person or virtually.
The focus of the EGM will be on the proposed new Constitution. I have listed, in bullet points below, the main changes and the reason for the change:
| Proposed Change | Reason behind the change | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Consolidating the Constitution & Rules into one document | To align with good governance practice and avoid confusion | Clarity of our governing rules, procedures and practices. |
| The word “Canoeing” is amended to Paddlesport throughout | The new terminology better represents the breadth our sport | Inclusionary term which better aligns us nationally & internationally |
| Gender neutral pronouns throughout | Aligns with best practice | Modernisation of language and terminology. |
| Irish Canoe Union changed to Canoeing Ireland within the doc | Canoeing Ireland is the title most frequently used by members | Modernisation of language and terminology. |
| Increased length of director terms of office from 2 to 3 years | Increases the capacity and capability of directors to contribute fully and allows time for assimilation to the director role. | Less disruption and more productivity. |
| Cap the total term limit for directors to 9 years | Best practice governance | Allows for a fresh approach and new ideas at board level. |
| Remove named directorships apart from those dictated by company law | This allows the board to be strategic in its approach to the skills and experience required at board level in a fast changing world. | Allows for the creation of roles in the areas of Diversity & Inclusion; Sustainability etc. and gives the directors a clear brief on their role within the board. |
We have achieved great things as a sport and have a responsibility to take our best shot at continuing our growth and development from beginner paddler to World Champion and everything in between. Good governance is the foundation for growth, accountability, performance and conformance. We are hoping that you will support this change.
Lynda Byrne – President
Moira Aston – CEO
