The AGM was held on the 8th of January and the following changes have been implemented

The New committee for 2008
Chairman John Byas
Secretary Daragh Owens
Treasurer Nessa Duffy
Member Darren Dalton
Member Tom Brecknell

The Membership fees for 2008
€20.00 for adults
€25.00 for a family membership
€10.00 for students, unwaged, senior citizens

On production of your membership card you will receive between 10% - 15% discount in all participating Fish Shops

Darragh Sherwin has been made an Honorary Member of the club for his contribution to the fish keeping hobby. The Forum has become a fantastic medium within the hobby and no doubt is responsible for bringing many keepers together to share information. Definite guidelines have now been laid down for users and will be implemented across the board in an effort to increase membership and exposure in the hobby

The Irish Federation of Aquarist Societies will be formally reintroduced as the governing body in Ireland. Its committee consists of voted in members from all the clubs in Ireland. This makes it a well balanced organisation as all clubs are represented.

The Judging and Standards committee will also be revitalized. What this means for the future is the training of future Judges and the opportunity to train as a Judges. This is vital if we want to hold more shows in the future. Where shows are concerned it means that there will be a much larger pool of Judges to officiate. This in turn means that existing Judges wont have to Judge at every show and will get a chance to show some of their own fish.

Where Insurance etc is involved for shows it will be cheaper to let the Federation take out the policy and all affiliated clubs will then be a able to use this cover to host their own shows. This will hopefully cut the cost for shows allowing more of them to be staged

A provisional date for a general meeting of all members from all clubs to vote in the committee of the IFAS has been suggested for March. More information will be posted on the forum but a firm commitment to meet somewhere in the middle of the country has been expressed. Tom will try to book a suitable venue for this meeting in the midlands. This should allow members from the Southern clubs to attend.

The Library has received a major contribution of books from Phil Kearney. Other contributors are Ken from the Trop shop, Daragh Owens and others who contributed to the original library. Thanks to all of you. A list will be available at meetings. You can request a book and it will be brought to the next meeting. A deposit will be required on all books. The library is now extensive and well worth the deposit.

I will add anything that I forgot later on.

Good work and lets all give them all our support and take it IFFS forward,

sorry Meant the ITFS.

Very informative and well written minutes. I'm glad to see that yourself, Darren and Daragh are staying on in your original positions. You are all great assets to the fishkeeping community.

I'm also pleased to see that Darragh S. has been made an honorary member of the club in recognition of the resounding success, that is the forum.

Hope to see you all at the next meeting

Denis

Nice one Nessa.
I had hoped to attend the agm,but completely messed up,and thought it was next week.Was very annoyed when I realised.(only myself to blame)
I have 1 suggestion though,would it be an idea to list the books in a sticky in the ITFS section,so we could arrange to collect them at the next meeting?Is there a 'librarian'?

Thanks
Dave

@ Acara We missed you but hopefully the minutes will keep you up to date. I think I might be the Librarian.... Any way I have the books at the moment all I need now is a new BIG book shelf. I have to say its a really brilliant collection of books of all sorts and subjects. I dont know how to put up a sticky but I will get onto DS and see if he can sort that out. I also need him to put up a membership form. Good idea to put a list up but it has to be clear that only Club members can take books out.

@ Dennis looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting. I am sure you have lots of great tales to tell of your travels and the kind of LFS you came across..

Nessa

Thanks Nessa,I suppose it was only fair,if you had a raffle,that I let others have a chance

With Dennis's great photography skills,maybe he could give that projector a workout.

Dave

thats a great idea. hopefully there will be lots of people who will be able to show their pictures. We could have a night where any member can show their pictures and say briefly what they are etc. I think its in the pipe line to have a video of peoples fish houses and a brief talk to go with it. Sounds like a great idea to me anyway. I am nosey so it would suit me down to the ground...

We did have a raffle as it happens but we would have had to limit sales of tickets to you to make it fair on the others...ha ah

Thats a nice report there Nessa, Thanks.

Sorry I missed this as well, between one thing and another on the night I could not make it down there. Great to see last years committee still intact, I was wondering what was going to happen here!! you know you did an excellent job guys during the last year

Also congratulations to Darragh Sherwin, a well deserved honour for you Darragh. I remember finding the forum here a few years ago and being delighted that an Irish based fish forum existed at all, Im sure many others have felt the same when they find this place. Its been a major contribution to the hobby in this country. Congratulations again, its quite an honour

Not mentioned at the AGM minutes was the input of Derek Doyle, who virtually ran the meeting and thank you for all the info on the old Irish Federation of Aquatic Societies and for accepting the chair for the first meeting of the IFAS until all the positions are filled. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him on behalf of the ITFS if they don't mind........................Tom.