Membership eligibility criteria and procedures

The Irish Environmental Network membership procedures

Application process

  1. All applications for membership of the Irish Environmental Network must be made using the approved application form.
  2. Any application by an organisation for membership of the Irish Environmental Network will be considered by the board of directors in accordance with the membership eligibility criteria (See Appendix I). Each application will be assessed by at least two Directors who will make a reasoned recommendation to the Board as to whether an organisation should be invited to become a Member.
  3. To be eligible to apply for core funding in any given year, an organisation which is applying for membership for the first time must have submitted their application by 15th January of that year.
  4. The board will communicate its decision in writing to the applicant organisation within 12 weeks. In circumstances where this is not possible within 12 weeks, the applicant will be notified and advised of a date when the decision will be made. In communicating a negative outcome of an organisation’s application to them, the board must indicate on which of the criteria the application has failed.

Appeal process

  1. Any organisation denied membership by the board has the right of appeal to the panel of Independent Assessors.
  2. A written appeal must be lodged with the Irish Environmental Network Secretariat within 12 weeks of the organisation receiving communication of their application’s failure. In exceptional circumstances this time limit can be extended at the discretion of the board.
  3. The assessors will consider this appeal and respond to the board within 12 weeks with a written decision. In circumstances where this is not possible within 12 weeks, the applicant will be notified and advised of a date when the decision will be made.
  4. An organisation whose application for membership has not been successful may re-apply for membership two years after the determination of their previous application.

Continuing fulfilment of membership criteria

The Irish Environmental Network reserves the right to continuously monitor compliance with the membership eligibility criteria (MEC). Organisations, once they have made a successful application for membership, are expected to continue to comply with the MEC in the future.

  1. Every year each current member organisation must re-apply for membership when they make their annual application for core funding. Any organisation not applying for core funding must also re-apply for membership. Otherwise the membership will be deemed to have lapsed.
  2. On an organisation’s re-application for membership, the board may address any queries to that organisation about its eligibility for membership, and it is expected that these issues will be addressed. The organisation in question will be expected to provide the directors with a statement of compliance with the criteria within 12 weeks. (If the organisation is deemed to be ineligible at that point by the directors, they may appeal the directors’ decision to the Independent Assessors – see above).
  3. Each organisation’s continuing Membership of the Irish Environmental Network will be reviewed on an annual basis in accordance with the Membership Eligibility Criteria (see Appendix I). The annual review will be concurrent with the annual funding application. Where an organisation is at any time considered to no longer meet the criteria, the issue will be referred by the Board of Directors to a General Meeting of the Network, which is the only body which can revoke Membership.

Appendix I Criteria for Membership of IEN

Eligibility criteria for an organisation seeking or renewing Membership of the Irish Environmental Network

  1. The primary objectives and activities of the organisation must be environmental (i.e. ecological) protection and / or environmental sustainability.
  2. The organisation must be a not for profit organisation.
  3. The organisation must have a demonstrable national remit. Qualifying characteristics include: national influence; specialist activity covering the country; convincing geographic spread of active membership; outreach activity.
  4. The organisation must be a registered company, or have charitable status, or be a registered friendly society with a registered constitution. The organisation must have been incorporated, registered or have enjoyed charitable status for a period of at least 12 months prior to an application for membership.
  5. The organisation must be an independent and legally discrete body, not a subgroup or activity of another organisation, nor an organisation managing a project with a limited life span.
  6. The board of the organisation should not share more than fifty percent of its directors with another organisation.
  7. The organisation must have audited accounts (from at least one of the previous two years) and / or be able to present a certifiable balance sheet for the previous year. The organisation must also be able to produce a current tax clearance certificate or official exemption.
  8. The organisation must be able to demonstrate a substantial level of activity in promoting its aims and objectives over a period of at least 18 months prior to application for membership.
  9. The organisation must demonstrate what unique contribution it can bring to the Network.
  10. No organisation whose executive board contains a representative or representatives appointed by any government department or local authority shall be admitted to membership. However, this does not exclude individuals from sitting on the board in a personal capacity.