Day 1
Bill Seeks to Allow Increase in Coopted Members to RCB
A Bill which proposes an increase in the number of members co–opted onto the Representative Church Body, from 11 to 18 passed its initial stages at General Synod today (Friday May 9). Bill No 7 proposes that the Representative Church Body would be asked to make these co–options, insofar as practicable, with regard to the need to have members with appropriate skills and experience, and the desirability of having a membership with an appropriate level of age, gender and ethnic representation, and from throughout the island of Ireland.
The Bill was proposed by Michael Johnston and seconded by Oswyn Paulin at the request of the Representative Body.
Mr Johnston noted that the RCB comprises the archbishops and bishops of the Church of Ireland as ex–officio members and one clerical and two lay representatives of each dioceses plus coopted members equal in number to the number of dioceses.
Since the amalgamated Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe was formed the membership of the RB has fallen from 60 to 55. However, he said there had also been an increase in the demand from regulators in terms of governance, compliance and reporting requiring specific skills highlighted in the Bill.
“The skills identified, being expertise in the areas of finance, pensions, investment management, accountancy, human resources and law should not be seen as exhaustive but more indicative of the general skills required to adequately govern a complex charity like the Representative Church Body. We could have expanded this list to include property development or information technology, but the more important point is that the committees of the Representative Body require members with technical skills, and the needs of each committee will be unique,” Mr Johnston stated. He added that the Bill highlighted the need to consider diversity of age, gender and ethnic representation as well as ensuring that representation comes from throughout the island of Ireland.
The bill will come back before Synod on Tuesday evening for its final decision stage.