Women's Health Council (Establishment) Order, 1997
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: This Order may be cited as The Women's Health Council (Establishment Order) 1997.
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paragraphs: In this Order:
"the Council" means the Women's Health Council established by this Order.
"the Chairperson" means the Chairperson for the time being of the Council.
"officer" means an employee of the Council.
"the Minister" means the Minister for Health.
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paragraphs: (1) A body to be known as The Women's Health Council is hereby established to perform the functions conferred upon it by this Order.
(2) The Council shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a seal and with power to sue and be sued in its corporate name and to hold land.
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paragraphs: The functions of the Council are as follows:
( a ) To advise the Minister for Health on all aspects of women's health, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister and in particular on:
— the implementation of the recommendations on women's health contained in policy reports commissioned by the Minister for Health;
— ensures to promote women's health;
— action, based on research, required to plan and develop services to improve women's health;
— methods of increasing co-ordination between public bodies at national and local level in the planning and provision of health services for women;
— means of encouraging greater partnership between statutory and voluntary bodies in providing health services for women;
— means by which the health services could assist the improvement of women's health in the developing world.
( b ) To assist the development of national and regional policies and strategies designed to increase health gain and social gain for women by:
— undertaking research on the health needs of women in Ireland;
— identifying and promoting good practice in the provision of health services for women;
— providing information and advice based on research findings to those involved in the development and/or implementation of policies and services pertaining to the health and well being of women;
— liasing with statutory, voluntary and professional bodies involved in the development and/or implementation of national and regional policies which have as their object health gain or social gain for women.
( c ) To develop expertise on women's health within the health services.
( d ) To liaise with international bodies which have functions similar to the functions of the Council.
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paragraphs: The Council may also advise other Ministers, at their request, on aspects of women's health which are within the functions of the Council.
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paragraphs: The Council may, in relation to the performance of its functions, publish documents, organise conferences, support initiatives and establish informal networks to promote women's health.
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paragraphs: (1) The Council shall consist of not more than twenty three members appointed by the Minister. Membership will be drawn from both the statutory and voluntary sectors and will reflect the widest possible range of interests pertaining to women's health.
(2) The Minister shall appoint from amongst the members of the Council a Chairperson who shall hold office until he or she ceases to be a member of the Council or until the Minister appoints another person to be Chairperson.
(3) At the first meeting of the Council under this order the appointed members, excluding the chairperson, shall draw lots as to which members shall serve for two years and which members shall serve for three years. A member shall hold office in the case of the first Council appointed under this order, for such period as determined at the first meeting of the Council unless he or she sooner dies, resigns or ceases to be a member in accordance with this article. A member appointed subsequently shall hold office for the period, not exceeding three years, for which he or she is appointed by the Minister unless he or she sooner dies, resigns or ceases to be a member in accordance with this article.
(4) In the event of a casual vacancy arising through the death, resignation or cessation of membership under this article of a member of the Council, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the Minister and the person so appointed shall hold office as a member of the Council for the unexpired period of the term of office of the said member.
(5) A member shall cease to be a member of the Council on his or her being requested by the Minister to resign.
(6) The quorum for a meeting of the Council shall be eight.
(7) The Council shall hold such and so many meetings as may be necessary for the performance of its functions.
(8) The Council may regulate by standing orders or otherwise, its procedure and business.
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paragraphs: The proceedings of the Council shall not be invalidated by any vacancy or vacancies among its members or by any defect in the appointment of the Council or any member thereof.
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paragraphs: (1) The Chairperson may, at any time, upon giving not less than five working days notice call a meeting of the Council.
(2) If the Chairperson fails, neglects or refuses to call a meeting of the Council after a requisition for that purpose, signed by not less than ten members of the Council has been presented to him or her, any eight members of the Council may forthwith on that refusal, call a meeting of the Council, such meeting not to be held until subsequent to the expiry of a period of five working days commencing on the day of such refusal.
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paragraphs: At a meeting of the Council:
(1) the Chairperson shall, if he or she is present, be Chairperson of the meeting;
(2) if and so long as the Chairperson is not present, the members of the Council who are present shall choose one of their number to be Chairperson of the meeting.
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paragraphs: Minutes of the proceedings of each meeting of the Council shall be kept and shall be verified by the Chairperson of the next ensuing meeting.
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paragraphs: The names of the members present at a meeting of the Council shall be recorded in the records of the proceedings of the Council.
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paragraphs: (1) A person shall not receive any remuneration for acting as a member of the Council.
(2) Members of the Council may be paid travelling and subsistence allowances in accordance with such scale as may from time to time be approved by the Minister.
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paragraphs: (1) All acts of the Council and all questions coming or arising before the Council may be done and decided by a majority of such members of the Council as are present and vote at a meeting of the Council.
(2) In the case of equality of votes on any question arising at a meeting of the Council, the Chairperson of that meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
(3) A memorandum signed by all the members of the Council shall be effective for all purposes as a resolution of the Council passed at a meeting duly convened, held and constituted.
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paragraphs: (1) In order to facilitate the discharge of the functions of the Council, the Council may establish committees whose functions shall be to assist and advise the Council in relation to the performance of its functions.
(2) Membership of a committee established by the Council may include persons who are not members of the Council and a committee shall be limited to not more than sixteen members.
(3) Any committee so appointed shall act subject to such directives as may be given by the Council, and any expenditure of moneys by such committee shall be subject to the approval of the Council.
(4) A member of a committee established under this article may be removed from membership at any time by the Council.
(5) The Council may at any time dissolve a committee appointed under this article.
(6) The acts of a committee established under this article shall be subject to confirmation by the Council unless the Council dispenses with the necessity of such confirmation.
(7) The Council may regulate the procedure of a committee established under this article but, subject to any such regulation, a committee established under this article may regulate its own procedure.
(8) A member of a committee established under this article shall not receive any remuneration for acting as a member of the committee, but may be paid such travelling and subsistence allowances as may be approved by the Minister.
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paragraphs: (1) The Council shall, not later than the 30th day of September in each year, submit to the Minister a statement of its estimated budgetary requirements in respect of the following financial year.
(2) The Minister may pay to the Council, in each year out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, a grant or grants, of such amount or amounts as the Minister may decide.
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paragraphs: (1) The Council shall keep all proper and usual accounts of all moneys received or expended by the Council including an income and expenditure account and balance sheet and, in particular, shall keep all such special accounts as the Minister may from time to time direct.
(2) The financial year of the Council shall be the period of twelve months ending on the 31st day of December in any year and for the purposes of this provision the period commencing on the date of this Order and ending on the 31st December, 1997, shall be deemed to be a financial year.