AGM 2023 (Reporting on financial year 2022)

Only members who renew their membership this year in 2023 will be allowed to attend the meeting, in person or on Zoom. We will share a recording of the AGM after the meeting on our social media for non-members.

We have not received any extended notice motions or special motions from members and the deadlines for those types of motions has now passed.

You can still send ordinary motions until the deadline 23rd August and you can nominate directors until the deadline of 28th August. Please send us motions or nominations as early as you can and not wait until the deadline using the form that is linked below.

This year we have one vacancy on the board of directors after the resignation of Lydia Mendes. We have 2 directors who are finishing their term and have agreed to serve another term – Sofiya Kalinova and Carol Browne. We welcome any nominations for board director positions to represent different sections of the community. This year we are especially looking for suitably qualified Director to act as Treasurer.

If you have renewed your membership or joined this year:

• Please email an RSVP to us now at membership@irishdeafsociety.ie and tell us if you will attend in person or on Zoom.
• If you are attending on Zoom please click here to register
• Download the form to propose a motion or nominate a director (PDF)

If you are not a 2023 member yet you can renew membership on our website membership page

If you need any support in relation to the AGM contact our advocacy Department at advocacy@irishdeafsociety.ie or text 086 4401443 or phone 01 860 1878.

Please put the date of the AGM in your calendar and we look forward to seeing you there, in person or online – Saturday September 2nd at 14:00 and we will have a social event afterwards!

However, working practices have changed and some of our staff have continued to work hybrid or remotely and this flexibility has also been a factor in ongoing recruitment.

I would like to express my gratitude to all the staff and volunteers for their hard work over the last 3 years to ensure IDS could keep working for our community under difficult circumstances. We faced many challenges and it is important to acknowledge the team effort to keep IDS open while many organisations closed, temporarily or permanently.

During our AGM in June 2022, our members elected new board Director Lynn Cullen and re-elected Dr. John Bosco Conama, Mary Stringer, Aidan McArdle and myself. Lynn was welcomed to the team which also included Sofiya Kalinova, Lydia Mendes and Carol Browne. Over the last year we have all worked well together and I am looking forward to continuing our work.

In May 2023 Lydia Mendes stepped down from the Board. I would like to acknowledge her valuable contributions and thank her for her dedicated service during her term. I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors and expect that we will continue to find ways to work together for the benefit of the Deaf community. On behalf of the board I would like to extend my thanks to the members for their ongoing support for the Irish Deaf Society.

A note on board elections at the upcoming AGM, in September 2023. There are 3 board director positions available, Lydia has stepped down and Sofiya and Carol’s terms are finished. We welcome members to make nominations for new board directors and we are especially looking for someone who could act as Treasurer.

Sofiya and Carol have put their names forward to continue to serve another term, which means we need one more new person to be nominated to fill all 3 available positions. If there is only one new nomination, or no new nominations, Sofiya and Carol will be deemed re-elected without the need for a vote, as there would be no competition for their 2 seats. If there are 2 or more new nominations, a competition will be held for all the new nominees including current directors as there will be competition for all 3 available positions on the board.

The most significant and important task for the IDS board, CEO, and staff in 2022 was the consultation and research that went into preparing our 3-year Strategic Plan. IDS collaborated with Mantra Strategy to conduct extensive, accessible, stakeholder engagements involving a diverse range of individuals and organisations both internal and external to IDS. This engagement included members, non-members, funders, Deaf groups, academics, researchers, parents, teachers, tutors, learners, and individuals working in Deaf services and organizations. The engagement process utilised an innovative survey that presented questions to Deaf people in Irish Sign Language (ISL) and allowed them to respond in ISL. We received responses from almost 500 people through the survey and focus group meetings, gaining a clear understanding of priorities as perceived by Deaf people in Ireland.

I would like to express my thanks to Lisa-Nicole and Suzanne from Mantra Strategy, who worked tirelessly and with great enthusiasm to guide us through the accessible ISL consultations, analysis, and development of strategic pillars, strands, and goals. IDS officially launched the IDS Strategic Plan 2023 and the term of the plan starts in September this year. We look forward to implementing this plan over the next three years.

Another milestone was achieved with the launch of the Deaf Education Position Paper during ISL Awareness Week in September 2022. This position paper is of critical importance to IDS and everyone involved, as it emphasises the significance of meaningful consultation on Deaf education.

ISL Awareness Week was successful, creating significant awareness and publicity. We were happy to see the wider community getting involved in the week with promotions by mainstream schools, RTE, and numerous events with interpreters. Additionally, the National ISL Day took place on 14th December 2022, and I would like to say my thanks to all the staff and volunteers who worked diligently on these two significant events.

It is hard to believe that five years have passed since the enactment of the ISL Act. I am proud to see IDS tirelessly working towards the implementation of the ISL Act since its passing.

In November 2022, IDS achieved another milestone by launching the Deaf Career project. This project is based on career guidance principles and involved Deaf Job Clubs with participants from all over the country. The resources from the project include videos of Peer Mentors discussing how to take the first steps towards employment.

Throughout 2022, the staff and board worked diligently, attending various meetings to represent IDS, including DPO and UNCRPD meetings, ensuring that the Deaf voice is always present at the table.

I would like to say many thanks to our entire board, CEO, staff, volunteers, and IDS members within the Deaf community for your unwavering dedication in keeping IDS strong and steadfast. We hope that IDS will continue to serve the community for a long time to come!

We now have more staff than office space and we have learned that a blended or hybrid approach to work, which has developed over the pandemic, suits our needs. We hope that in the coming years this hybrid approach will help us to build our team and make IDS jobs more accessible for Deaf staff from all around the country.

IDS was a founder member of the new DPO (Disabled Persons Organisation) Network in 2022. This group of organisations has been steadily working to improve awareness of DPOs and their importance in the development of policies and services for Deaf people and disabled people.

Our finances were stable in 2022 and we have good reserves to protect us against challenges in the coming years. There is more detail about our finances in 2022 in the Financial Controller report. Now, we can start to plan how to achieve the key strategic pillars and strands as set out in our Strategic plan. The consultation work with our community was conducted in 2022 and the plan was formally launched in June of this year, 2023. A big challenge currently is finding staff, particularly qualified and skilled Deaf staff. We want to build the best team and ask our community to look out for our job advertising and consider applying to join our team.

We achieved a lot in 2022. We transitioned from the pandemic to a hybrid working model. We successfully re-engaged with QQI, the authority that licenses us to deliver certified courses. We launched a new online learning system. We published our Deaf Education position paper. We increased our funding. Our team got larger. We ran the Deaf Career Project and conducted a roadshow to gather our community’s opinions about Deaf rights and services and what Deaf people feel they need to improve their lives. Our survey questions were in ISL and our members could answer in ISL. IDS will always strive to put Irish Sign Language first. These achievements and more are described in our reports from the Advocacy and Further Education and Training Departments.

These are all achievements to be proud of, but they are only the start. Our ambition for what we want to achieve for our community is described in our Strategic Plan. We can only do this with your support. You are our community, our ISL community, our Deaf community. Help us to fight for your rights. Join IDS or renew your membership, let us count your name as one of our number. We are stronger with our community and we will work hard in the coming years to connect with you, support you, learn from you and represent you.

I would like to thank all of our members, Chairperson and Board, our staff, the National Council, our peer advocates, FET teachers, tutors, and everyone in the Deaf community for their support in 2022. We look forward to the coming years and what we can achieve together for Deaf people in Ireland.

In 2022 our Advocacy service supported 818 client interactions, with our busiest months being August and September. 30% of these clients chose to meet in the office, while the others contacted us through text, email, phone, or video call. The topic that most client queries fell under was Health, with 23% of clients looking for assistance in that area. 18% of clients queries were regarding Education, with 16% being about Employment.

Representative

We have worked with many groups within the Deaf community to ensure that the voice of our members is heard and considered:

ISL Act Cross Community Group: IDS leads this group of National Deaf community organisations. The purpose of the group is to coordinate Deaf community activity to campaign for the full commencement and implementation of the ISL Act 2017. The group will monitor the State’s progress in delivering on its responsibilities under the Act and campaign to have those responsibilities fully met.

Hub Café Advisory Group led by Deaf Village Ireland (DVI): Our staff participated as part of a group of representatives from various organisations in DVI. Topics covered included potential changes to the Hub Café and Atrium, promoting ISL culture and history, opening the Hub Café to the public for ISL learning, creating an inclusive Atrium for all age groups.

Justisigns - Gender Based Violence (GBV) Glossary Focus Group: This project involves collaboration between the Justisigns II Project and the CDS cohort of Deaf Interpreting Students. The focus group's objective was to develop ISL signs for a glossary related to gender-based violence.

We have also been involved in many advisory groups, steering groups or focus groups organised by public bodies and some at a government level:

HSE: We were involved in focus groups to inform the development of National Standards for Home Support Services, the HSE Guiding Principles meeting and the COVID-19 Vaccine Community Network.

Disability Stakeholders Group: DSG is an established group recognised for the important role that it plays in the monitoring of the Government's disability policy and strategies. It is appointed by the Minister of State for Disability. Appointments are on a 3-year cycle. The current DSG is the 6th cycle. DSG comprises 26 members including IDS representing a crosscut of the sector and including an independent. DSG has an important role in monitoring the implementation of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. The NDIS is the key framework for policy and action to address the needs of person with disabilities in Ireland. Through its action the strategy supports effective progress in implementing the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with a Disability (UNCRPD).   Many topics addressed included the delay in publishing the ISL Act report, setting out a vision for inclusive education, monitoring the settlement of people with disabilities living in independent or residential homes or nursing homes, improving transport and access to public services for individuals with disabilities, and enhancing employment opportunities by using appropriate language and terminology.

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Consultative (DECC) Committees Quarterly Meeting: The NDIS Strategy is now transferred to the Strategic HR Division, and their new headquarters' construction phase is underway. Inclusivity takes the spotlight with the establishment of the Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group, driving progress in human rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equality. DECC staff received valuable training, including EDI, Unconscious Bias, and Deaf Awareness Training provided by IDS. Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) launched an updated website enabling Deaf individuals to text 112 without registration. IDS raised concerns about Comreg's stance on the lack of quality, access, or consultation with Deaf organisations regarding RTE TV programs or the RTE player.

National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group (NDISSG): IDS played a vital role in discussing NDIS Action 28, focusing on Irish Sign Language. We expressed concerns to the Department of Social Protection about providing enough funding to IRIS through NDIS. This funding is crucial for IRIS's capacity and progress under Action 28. The meeting covered various other important topics, including action plans for the Disability Capacity Review, transferring disability functions, department responsibilities for aegis agencies, accessible transport, a comprehensive employment strategy, and DCEDIY's leadership on the UNCRPD implementation plan. IDS is committed to promoting inclusivity and making a positive impact in the lives of the people we serve.

ResPoNCE Project by Centre for Disability Law and Policy, University of Galway: The Advocacy manager led a meeting with 11 Deaf people to support the University of Galway's ResPoNCE project. This project focused on understanding how Covid-19 affected people with disabilities in various European countries. They studied the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities during public health crises. The project resulted in a draft working paper with recommendations for best practices. This paper aims to improve support and protection for people with disabilities during challenging times.

Government and policy submissions: IDS took part in consultations held by Government and State bodies and compiled submissions on many different topics focused on human rights and equality issues including:

• Statement on UNCRPD “Article 29 - Participation in political and public life” and “Article 30 - Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport” for an Oireachtas meeting with Joint Committee on Disability Matters
• Submission to the Department of Education on the 1st Phase of the Irish Sign Language (ISL) Scheme.
• Submission to IHREC on the Reasonable Accommodation Code of Practice

Events

National ISL Day: The 5th anniversary of National Irish Sign Language (ISL) Day was celebrated in the Atrium, Deaf Village Ireland (DVI). The IDS Chairperson launched the event and cut a celebratory cake. The event was well attended including children from the Holy Family School who joined us to celebrate. IDS decorated the atrium for the event and hosted a gameshow which was a great success and lots of fun.

ISL Week: Celebrations were in the week of September 19^th to 25^th, and IDS organised a series of videos related to each daily theme as part of ISL Awareness Week. We launched our Deaf Education Policy and the Deaf Careers Project. We showcase 12 Children's ISL Stories in collaboration with National Libraries and local County Councils. Additionally, IDS invited a survivor from Breast Cancer Ireland and UMPC Hillman Cancer Centre to give a talk on breast care and understanding cancer stages, which was attended by approximately 25 people. There were many positive moments during ISL Awareness Week including: Irish landmarks being lit up in blue, the Taoiseach and TDs creating videos in ISL as part of the #GlobalLeadersChallenge, events organised by the Cross Community Group and local organisations. In collaboration with Chime, IDS worked with RTÉ to provide in-vision ISL interpreters on TV shows including Nationwide and Children's shows, during the afternoons and evenings for ISL Awareness Week.

During the year, the IDS Advocacy team attended various events, meetings, conferences, webinars, and report launches. Some of these events are as follows:

• National Disability Authority Annual Conference
• The launch of Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) Progress in the Penal System (PIPS)
• IHREC Strategy Statement 2022-2024 Launch
• Dublin Northwest Partnership – Celebration of Community Development
• IHREC Annual Report 2021 launch
• Deaf Education Seminar by DCU - Success from the Start: early language development and working with parents" with Rachel O'Neill, Edinburgh University
• Meetings with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters
• RTE Access Meetings
• Office of the Ombudsman's in-person workshop on "Improving Public Services for People with Disabilities."

1. European Union of the Deaf (EUD) General Assembly in Marseille France

Projects

Deaf Awareness Training: At the start of 2022, we were providing DAT online, via Zoom as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. By April, there was a demand for in-person training, so we returned to providing DAT in-person, while also offering an online version. Overall, we provided 27 sessions of DAT in the year. 70% of sessions were provided online.

Deaf Career Project: The Deaf Career Project in 2022 goal was to empower Deaf individuals and fostering inclusivity in the workplace with the guidance. The project conducted career guidance workshops, formed partnerships with employers, implemented a mentorship program, engaged in advocacy initiatives, and shared inspiring success stories. These efforts assisted Deaf job club participants in their career journeys, providing them with valuable resources, connections, and opportunities. Moving forward, the project is seeking funding to continue to provide job clubs, strengthening collaborations, and advocating for equal opportunities for Deaf individuals in their professional pursuits, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

Response to the Ukrainian Refugees: In 2022 many Deaf Ukrainians moved to Ireland. IDS organised a meeting via Zoom with other organisations to discuss supporting Ukrainian refugees and collaboration with the Irish Red Cross and Irish Refugee Council was established. Fundraising efforts were initiated, and information was shared on IDS social media platforms. The advocacy team took responsibility for updating information on the World Federation of the Deaf website. Ongoing support was provided to Deaf Ukrainians, both in-person and via videocalls. We held a Ukrainian Day in collaboration with Chime which was successful, with 25 Ukrainians attending and engaging in a positive afternoon session.

Strategy Plan Project: The Advocacy team worked closely with senior management to conduct a Roadshow to gather grassroots feedback on IDS work, services, goals and ambitions. We collected grassroots opinions on Deaf needs and barriers to inform the development of our Strategic Plan.

We organised a workshop called "Get Together Again" to re-engage National Council Members and the roadshow started in Portlaoise, with 16 Deaf organisations and 25-30 representatives in attendance. The Advocacy Team worked with Mantra Strategy and held workshops in Cork, Kildare, Galway, and Limerick. The workshops were well-received, with local participants expressing their enjoyment and requesting future roadshows.

Mental Health Working Group: During the meetings over the year, several topics were discussed, including the Mental Health Position Paper and existing services such as the GP Access scheme, Pieta House, and CAMHS. It was decided that the committees would develop action plans to address these matters before the next meeting. As part of this, the Advocacy team approached Pieta House to explore the possibility of Pieta House providing more services for the Deaf community. It was discussed that Pieta House primarily focuses on suicide and self-harm prevention. They have observed an increased number of Deaf individuals seeking their services and expressed their willingness to provide ISL interpreters free of charge.

Huawei Funding: In 2022 we ran several projects with funding from Huawei including Deaf awareness initiatives, workshops for parents of Deaf children and workshops for teens.

St Stephen’s Green Trust Funding: This fund allowed us to run ISL Classes for Deaf Children, fun DAT for Deaf children in boarding campus. We also facilitated ISL linguistics workshops and created a series of video resources.

The Advocacy Department has been extremely busy in 2022 and we will continue to campaign for Deaf people’s rights and represent their views to the State and public services.

Our staff team, our teachers and tutors continued transitioned to a hybrid working model in 2022, working flexibly from home and the IDS office. This has helped us to develop new ways of thinking, communicating and learning, particularly for our digital education that can be delivered to remote students via our new online Learning Management System (LMS).

Providing digital learning online presented new challenges as to how we supported our staff and learners in an online environment. Working closely with staff we developed solutions that ensure effective teaching and learning, safety for our learners and the continuation of a high quality educational experience.

In 2022 the FET team worked on a number of other projects including a partnership with the Coding Institute to develop an accessible course for 6 Deaf students to learn coding. The development of this course has now been completed in 2023 and classes will being for the successful applicants before the end of the year.

There is currently a shortage of teachers and tutors to teach ISL courses and the demand for classes is growing. We have been working with Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) to develop a new 18 month course to train ISL tutors who will be qualified to tutor QQI Level 3 and 4 ISL courses. This project was started in 2022 and have continued to work on it in 2023. We are planning to launch this new course in 2024.

In addition, during 2022 we worked on programme development for ISL QQI level 5 and we expect this to be completed in 2023 offering courses in level 5 in 2024. From then we will continue this work to validate a course programme for ISL QQI level 6.

Education and Training

In 2022 we had 396  beneficiaries starting QQI courses (which will complete in 2024) including 257 in ISL QQI level 3, 136 in ISL QQI level 4, and 3 in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) QQI level 4.

We had 413 beneficiaries start unaccredited courses including 181 completing the ISL Basic course and 232 starting in a wide range of non-QQI courses for Deaf adults.

In 2022 a new group of learners emerged due to the war in Ukraine. Many refugees who were affected by the war began attending our courses.

Deaf people who come to Ireland often need to learn two languages instead of just one. While hearing foreign nationals learn English in Ireland, Deaf people must also learn Irish Sign Language (ISL). To address this, we offered introductory courses in both English and ISL both in-person and online, allowing us to accommodate different locations and make learning accessible to more people.

After careful evaluation and extensive testing, we introduced a new Learning Management System (LMS), a comprehensive solution designed to allow us to deliver courses online to our learners. During the pandemic we delivered these courses using the Zoom platform, now with the new LMS platform, we can deliver higher quality, better managed courses with more resources and online activities for our teaching staff and learners.

Our team has worked hard to expand the LMS to include more courses. This involved developing existing learning materials, training our staff, and providing ongoing support to ensure a smooth transition. We are proud to announce that the implementation process was a success, with minimal disruptions and maximum engagement from our learners, teachers, and staff.

The feedback we have received from our learners has highlighted an improvement in their learning. The Learning Management System platform offers a user-friendly interface, easy navigation, and various interactive learning resources. Learners have praised the system's accessibility, allowing them to access course materials from anywhere, at any time. The ability to track their progress, submit assignments online, and potentially engage in collaborative discussions has dramatically improved their educational journey.

Our team of teachers found the Learning Management System useful and changed their teaching methodologies. The platform provides them with advanced tools and features to create engaging content, deliver personalised instruction, and assess student performance effectively. Teachers have expressed their satisfaction with the system's abilities, which has reduced administrative burdens, enabling them to focus more on delivering quality education.

Our administrative and support staff have also benefited from implementing the Learning Management System. The LMS administrative functionalities have enabled various processes, including enrolment management, course scheduling, and progress tracking. Staff members appreciate the system's efficiency, as it has reduced paperwork, minimised manual data entry, and improved overall operational effectiveness.

Quality Assurance

In 2022 we were successful in achieving new and higher standards of governance and quality assurance with our certification authority QQI, this process was called “QQI Re-engagement” and IDS was required to pass this process in order to continue being licensed by QQI to develop and validate new courses and offer QQI certificates to our learners.

We worked for 2 years to pass the “QQI re-engagement.” During this time we established an independent Quality Assurance Committee and held weekly staff quality assurance meetings with additional sessions and training for our teaching staff.

The FET Team conducted a comprehensive review and our programmes are now in line with QQI's quality assurance frameworks and national standards after updating our course content and incorporating best practice into our work processes. The FET Team worked very hard together to develop all the documentation, policies and evidence required by QQI to pass this process.

Regarding the Ukrainian refugee crisis, IDS responded effectively and collaborated with the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). Our chair, Lianne Quigley, represented IDS in a series of online meetings, striving for a compassionate approach to managing the crisis.

In April, due to financial reasons, IDS decided not to send any representation to the WFD's conference on education. However, the Chairperson, Lianne Quigley had an informal discussion on deaf issues with the WFD's executive director, Ms. Pauline Molina in October.

Moving forward, IDS remains committed to representing Ireland in both European and global contexts. As we anticipate 2023, it looks to be another busy year for IDS in international matters.

The year ended with an operational surplus of €16,172 and an overall income of €1,442,794. This was very close to our income from 2021. Our expenses in 2022 were roughly €230k higher as we worked to recruit more staff, develop our services and grow IDS so that we can achieve more and deliver on our goals.

Key Financial points in 2022:

• A note on our financial reserves, currently we retain €459,382 in reserves and this would allow us to continue operating for 4 months if we had no income. This is a healthy reserve figure, and it is recommended to retain anywhere between 3 to 6 months of operating expenses which we have now achieved.
• In terms of our ability to pay our debts, our 2022 current assets to current Liabilities ratio is approximately 2.25 to 1 meaning that for every €1 we owe we have funds of €2.25, this is a good indicator of financial stability.
• The Charity shops performed well after reopening for a full 12 months and as a result income increased by 84% from 2021
• We increased our SOLAS funding for our Further Education and Training Department. Our funding application increased from €452,460 in 2021 to €676,980 in 2022, an increase of 50%. During 2022 we had challenges that made it difficult to spend the full SOLAS budget including delays from external partners and difficulties recruiting new staff. At year end there was an underspend of €81,138. This amount is refunded to SOLAS and does not affect our funding for 2023.
• The POBAL funding application under the Scheme to Support National Organisation’s (SSNO) was successful for the next 3 years from July 2022 to June 2025 at a total value to IDS of €273,000.
• In December 2022 IDS was informed of a bequest totaling €230,000 approximately. We expect that this will be transferred to our accounts mid to late summer 2023.

Some other variances between 2021 and 2022 in our accounts:

• Payroll costs saw an increase in 2022 due to a 5% cost of living wage increase across the organisation. Staff had not seen an increase in salaries in several years and we are currently working on a salary benchmarking exercise to independently verify that all staff are being paid fairly for their roles.
• In 2022 IDS ran a Summer & Winter raffle. The Winter raffle was extended to February 2023 as the Summer raffle had started late. This gave us an opportunity to collect more income on the winter raffle, however the income is recorded in 2023 rather than 2022.
• There was an increase in consultant's fees due to various engagements as follows: We were involved in several strategic, operational and good governance projects in 2022 that involved external consultants. They include the FET QQI Re Engagement programme, experts in career guidance working with the Deaf Career Project, the development of a 3-year strategic plan and GDPR training. These costs are recorded in the accounts under consultancy.

We have launched our new 3-year strategic plan with ambitious goals which will require additional funding for us to deliver on them. Some of this funding will need to come from growth in our fundraising department and some will require additional core funding from the Government which we are campaigning for.

Director Nomination: A director of the company/organisation is a person who serves on the board. To nominate a director means proposing a person to become a director on the board. You can send us nominations for directors. Legally, we can only accept nominations of directors after 21 days before the AGM and the last deadline is 3 days before the AGM. We ask you to send us nominations as early as you can and that means IDS have time to share information about nominated candidates with members before the AGM to prepare them for the vote. Once we receive a nomination, the next step is for the board to approve the nomination and inform members. .

Ordinary Motion: Ordinary motions must be relevant to the business of the AGM – that means related to the Annual Report, Audited Financial Accounts or the appointment of the auditor. If your proposed motion or nomination is not suitable for the AGM, we will contact you with an explanation. Ordinary motions are passed by a simple majority, that means more than 50% voted yes. The deadline for IDS to receive an “ordinary motion” is 7 days before the AGM. We ask you to send these to us as early as you can and not wait until the deadline.

Special Motion: Special motion is a type of proposal or decision at the AGM to change the constitution or organisation name. The deadline for a “special motion” is 21 days before the AGM. Special motions are passed at the AGM if more than 75% of members vote yes. Don’t forget that our Constitution is available on our website in ISL and English: https://www.irishdeafsociety.ie/about/ids-constitution-2021/

Extended Deadline Motion: Extended Deadline Motion is a type of proposal to remove an auditor or a director. IDS must receive it 28 days before the AGM to give the auditor or director a chance to respond to members.

You might have heard the word resolution also used to describe motions; they basically mean the same thing. A motion is the same as a proposal, after it is agreed it is called a resolution.

To send us any of these motions you can use the form that can be downloaded from our website. Or you can email membership@irishdeafsociety.ie or ISL/text 086 380 7033 and we will send a form to you.

If you have a general suggestion about how IDS is managed, feedback or a complaint please email it to feedback@irishdeafsociety.ie, text 086 4401443 or phone 01 860 1878.

The person does not need to be an IDS member, but if you want to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf this proxy form must be received by IDS no later than 48 hours before the AGM.

You will need to send a proxy form to IDS and that will be available closer to the AGM date. The form will contain a list of all the motions for the meeting and it is best if you tell your proxy how you would like them to vote on all the motions.

When the proxy form is available to download, we will let you know.

If you need any support in relation to the AGM, contact our advocacy Department at advocacy@irishdeafsociety.ie or text 086 4401443 or phone 01 860 1878.

Some people wonder why they should join IDS, the reason is that IDS campaign to Government, business and Deaf service providers for access and equality Nationally. We are campaigning for the implementation of the ISL Act and the UN CRPD to give Deaf people rights and equality. We have been working hard for the community over the last year and we need your support. Please join now or renew your membership today to help us to do our work.

• Renew membership on our website - www.irishdeafsociety.ie/membership/
• Or email membership@irishdeafsociety.ie - we can post or email you with a membership form.
• Or come to the IDS Office, Thomas Mahon Building, Deaf Village Ireland, Ratoath Road, Cabra, Dublin 7. DO7 W94H

As a member you can vote at the AGM on important issues for IDS and the Deaf community. Your membership is for the calendar year January to December, but you can join at any time of the year.

Remember, only members can attend our AGM online or in-person and vote. Non-members and observers can view a recording of our AGM after the meeting.

If you need any support in relation to membership, contact our advocacy Department at advocacy@irishdeafsociety.ie or text 086 4401443 or phone 01 860 1878.