Page 49 - Raco 2017

GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT
49
Biennial Delegate Conference 2017
6.2 ICPSA
6.2.1
RACO has been affiliated to ICPSA since 1991. Other affiliates are the Financial Services Union (FSU), Association of Garda Superintendents (AGS), Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), Garda Representative Association (GRA), PDFORRA, Irish Distillers Staff Association (IDSA) and Dublin Institute of Technology Academic Staff Association (DITASA). Collectively the affiliates represent in excess of 40,000 public and private sector employees.
6.2.2 ICPSA POLICY
Policy for ICPSA is laid down at its Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM), which is held in November each year. Delegates to ADM are drawn from the affiliate organisations with the number of delegates an affiliate is entitled to being determined by its membership size. RACO is one of the smaller affiliates, with 4 delegates; FSU is the largest with 16. Annual membership fees are also dictated by the membership size of the affiliate. RACO’s fee for 2015 and 2016 was €420 and €510 respectively.
6.2.3 COUNCIL
The management and operation of the ICPSA is vested in its governing Council. This body is comprised of a President (Mr. John Parker, GRA), Secretary (Mr. Gerard Guinan, PDFORRA) and Treasurer (Mr. Derek Priestley, RACO). These honorary ‘officers’ are elected at an ADC and together with one representative nominated by each affiliate association forms the ICPSA Council. RACO’s General Secretary is the association’s representative on the Council.
6.2.4
ICPSA provides an important networking opportunity for RACO, particular in respect of other associations and operating in the security sector. However, its greatest importance lies in the fact that it is a Senate Nominating Body. Under the electoral legislation ICPSA may nominate up to seven candidates to the Labour Panel for Seanad elections. This is the same number of nominations as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). Once a candidate receives a nomination they must seek the support of the Senate electorate i.e. County Councillors, sitting TDs, and sitting Senators. Currently there are four Senators who received their nominations from ICPSA – Sen Ned O’Sullivan (FF), Sen Robbie Gallagher (FF) Sen Terry Leyden (FF) and Sen Gerard Craughwell. ICPSA nominated Senators meet with Council regularly throughout the year and perform lobbying work on its behalf and on behalf of individual affiliates. RACO, through the Professional Staff, maintained close contact with the Senators since BDC 2015.
6.3 EUROMIL
6.3.1
RACO has been affiliated to the European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL) since 2003. EUROMIL is a union of free democratic associations representing the interests of military personnel. The organisation was founded in 1972 and now has 39 Member Associations from 25 countries, which collectively represent approximately 500,000 individuals, from Private to General. The membership numbers of the member organisation determines annual membership fees, which are adjusted for national purchasing power. RACO’s fee for 2016 and 2017 was €1,238 and €1,313 respectively. A small proportion of the total EUROMIL budget for the year of in excess of €300,000.
6.3.2 EUROMIL AIMS
The aims of EUROMIL are to;
• Promote fundamental rights and freedoms in the armed forces of the countries
od Europe
• Promote European social policy with the inclusion of military personnel
• Promote the general, non - material, social and professional interests of active
and former military personnel, their families and surviving dependants
• Represent the interests of the members associations at the supranational
institutions and authorities and to support them in matters of concern within
their national spheres
• Cooperate with other international organisations and unions