11 Reasons Why the
Humanist Association of Ireland
Needs Reform
1 Lack of Democracy
Under the HAI’s Articles of Association all power resides in the Board of Directors outside of an AGM or EGM being conducted. However, the Board’s efforts to undermine Andrew Rattigan’s call for an EGM, demonstrate that they resent even this small concession to democracy.
2 Ignorance of the Companies Act
By insisting on 33% of the members to call an EGM the board has either intentionally subverted efforts to call an EGM or unintentionally demonstrated that they are woefully ignorant of the Companies Act 1963. The very Act which specifies the legal nature of the HAI and their role as Directors within it. The Companies Act clearly states in section 132 that the Act overrides anything in the articles of association and so 10% of members are all that is necessary to call an EGM.
3 Lack of Activity
Aside from the Marriage Bill the Board have not been very productive over the past 2 years. In recent times there has been a flurry of activity, instead of making statements on hot political topics as they arise the board have only recently began the process of issuing statements on the abortion issue and equal marriage debate. The work of the board is too slow, we need new blood and fresh start. The current Board have lost its direction.
4 Lack of Transparency
The Board has remained aloof, disconnected from its membership with no accountability between AGMs and no transparency in terms of its activities, such as regular reports.
5 Lack of effective PR and Marketing
When did you last see or hear a spokesperson for HAI on TV or Radio? When did this Board last produce even a leaflet for our organisation? With an increasingly non-religious population, over 250,000 by the last count, the opportunity to increase our membership and yet the Board are sitting on their hands. It has been years since they have produced an official publication other than the magazine.
6 No Branch Structure
For over a decade, the current HAI Board has failed to make a move to incorporate local branches into its structure in spite of active groups of members in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Sligo (sadly now defunct) who have submitted proposals on this issue.
7 No Administrative Procedures
The Current Board’s extreme reluctance to delegate power means that it has no concrete, effective structures for administrative purposes. Ad hoc committees spring up from time to time and then disappear.
8 Cronyism
The majority of current Board members are there because they were known by existing Board members, and were invited by them to become new Board members, some specifically because of their interest in becoming celebrants. This cronyism must stop.
9 It is a Dublin-centric Organisation; The HAI cannot truly claim to be a nationally representative organisation as it is governed by a small clique of people living in or near the capital. This must end! Everyone (HAI members in Dublin included) need better than this. The HAI should have a proper postal ballot for election of Board members, together with information (manifestos) on the candidates. Also the board has now set the date for the EGM on a weekday which makes it difficult for regional members to attend. We have created a petition to adjourn the EGM.
10 Conflicts of Interests
The HAI Board accredits celebrants, who can then earn substantial money as private individuals, charging up to €450 per wedding. No celebrant should hold a seat on the Board, and we should re-examine the unregulated way that celebrants operate. The current Board have never accepted that such a conflict of interest might exist. But it does and it must stop!
11 Failure to Involve Members
The Board complains that they are short of volunteers yet members from Cork and Galway who are clearly passionate and enthusiastic have put forward proposals on many different issues related to Humanism in Ireland. Some of these proposals have not even received the courtesy of a critical rejection. Our ideas are being ignored.
Under the HAI’s Articles of Association all power resides in the Board of Directors outside of an AGM or EGM being conducted. However, the Board’s efforts to undermine Andrew Rattigan’s call for an EGM, demonstrate that they resent even this small concession to democracy.
2 Ignorance of the Companies Act
By insisting on 33% of the members to call an EGM the board has either intentionally subverted efforts to call an EGM or unintentionally demonstrated that they are woefully ignorant of the Companies Act 1963. The very Act which specifies the legal nature of the HAI and their role as Directors within it. The Companies Act clearly states in section 132 that the Act overrides anything in the articles of association and so 10% of members are all that is necessary to call an EGM.
3 Lack of Activity
Aside from the Marriage Bill the Board have not been very productive over the past 2 years. In recent times there has been a flurry of activity, instead of making statements on hot political topics as they arise the board have only recently began the process of issuing statements on the abortion issue and equal marriage debate. The work of the board is too slow, we need new blood and fresh start. The current Board have lost its direction.
4 Lack of Transparency
The Board has remained aloof, disconnected from its membership with no accountability between AGMs and no transparency in terms of its activities, such as regular reports.
5 Lack of effective PR and Marketing
When did you last see or hear a spokesperson for HAI on TV or Radio? When did this Board last produce even a leaflet for our organisation? With an increasingly non-religious population, over 250,000 by the last count, the opportunity to increase our membership and yet the Board are sitting on their hands. It has been years since they have produced an official publication other than the magazine.
6 No Branch Structure
For over a decade, the current HAI Board has failed to make a move to incorporate local branches into its structure in spite of active groups of members in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Sligo (sadly now defunct) who have submitted proposals on this issue.
7 No Administrative Procedures
The Current Board’s extreme reluctance to delegate power means that it has no concrete, effective structures for administrative purposes. Ad hoc committees spring up from time to time and then disappear.
8 Cronyism
The majority of current Board members are there because they were known by existing Board members, and were invited by them to become new Board members, some specifically because of their interest in becoming celebrants. This cronyism must stop.
9 It is a Dublin-centric Organisation; The HAI cannot truly claim to be a nationally representative organisation as it is governed by a small clique of people living in or near the capital. This must end! Everyone (HAI members in Dublin included) need better than this. The HAI should have a proper postal ballot for election of Board members, together with information (manifestos) on the candidates. Also the board has now set the date for the EGM on a weekday which makes it difficult for regional members to attend. We have created a petition to adjourn the EGM.
10 Conflicts of Interests
The HAI Board accredits celebrants, who can then earn substantial money as private individuals, charging up to €450 per wedding. No celebrant should hold a seat on the Board, and we should re-examine the unregulated way that celebrants operate. The current Board have never accepted that such a conflict of interest might exist. But it does and it must stop!
11 Failure to Involve Members
The Board complains that they are short of volunteers yet members from Cork and Galway who are clearly passionate and enthusiastic have put forward proposals on many different issues related to Humanism in Ireland. Some of these proposals have not even received the courtesy of a critical rejection. Our ideas are being ignored.