Leinster Football Association Rules

As amended at LFA EGM on October 18th 2022

Rule 1.

This Association shall be called the “Leinster Football Association” and shall be affiliated to the Football Association of Ireland

The objects for which this Association is established are to promote, foster and develop the game of Association Football in the province of Leinster, to take all such steps as may be deemed necessary and advisable for the prevention of infringement of the Rules of the Association and the Laws of the Game as amended from time to time or other improper practices in the game and for protecting them from abuses and to do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above mentioned objects or any of them as the Council may determine

Rule 2. Income and Property

The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its main objects(s) as set forth in these rules.  No portion of the Association’s income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to the members of the association.  No Officer shall be appointed to any office of the Association paid by salary or fee’s, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth from the Association.  However, nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the association of:

a) reasonable and proper remuneration to any member of the association (not being an Officer) for any services rendered to the Association;

b) interest at a rate not exceeding 5% per annum on money lent by  Officers or other members of the Association to the association;

c) reasonable and proper rent for premises demised and let by any member of the association (including any Officer) to the association;

d) reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Officer in connection with their attendance to any matter affecting the Association;

e) fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to any Company of which an Officer may be a member holding not more than one hundredth part of the issued capital of such Company.

Rule 3. Winding Up

If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Association, there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, it shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Association.  Instead, such property shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having main objects similar to the main objects of the Association.  The institution or institutions to which the property is to be given or transferred shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Association under or by virtue of Rule 2 hereof.  Members of the Association shall select the relevant institution or institutions at or before the time of dissolution, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provisions, then the property shall be given or transferred to some charitable object.

Rule 4. Additions, alterations or amendments

No addition, alteration or amendment shall be made to, or in the provisions of, rules two and three, for the time being in force unless the same shall have been previously approved in writing by the Revenue Commissioners.

Rule 5. - Interpretations.

In the interpretation of these Rules the following words and expressions shall have the following meaning, unless excluded by the subject or context:

(a) “This Association” (of the Association) wherever appearing in these rules shall mean The Leinster Football Association.

(b) “The Council” or “This Council” wherever it appears in these rules shall mean the Council of the Leinster Football Association.

(c) “Junior Committee” means the Junior Committee of the Leinster Football Association.

(d) “Youth Committee” means the LFA Youth Committee.

(e) “Days” shall exclude Saturdays, Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

Rule 6 - Membership

Members of the Association shall be Leagues and Clubs who have paid their annual affiliation fee and have been approved for membership by Council.

All Leagues and Clubs playing association football in the province of Leinster shall be eligible for membership. Each League, their elected officials, representatives, players and members shall be bound by the rules and decisions of the Association, such decisions shall be binding, subject to all existing rights of appeal. The rules for the time being of the Football Association of Ireland, so far as they affect the rules of this Association, shall be read and held as part of the binding rules.

Rule 7 – Club /Team Transfers

A Club/Team wishing to transfer to a League outside the geographical area of jurisdiction of its present League must seek a transfer on the official Leinster Football Association transfer form (available from the LFA Offices). The Club must state in writing, compelling reasons why they are requesting to do so, and submit together with the transfer form. The current League has to sign the form first, if they are consenting to the release

No Club/Team shall have a reasonable request for release refused, but will be encouraged by all parties to remain in their geographical area of jurisdiction, with their parent or current League and they will have the right of appeal to the Association and / or the Football Association of Ireland in accordance with the rules of these bodies

Each League must satisfy itself that any new application to join its League is from a genuine new Club/Team and is not from a group of persons associated with another Club in an affiliated League during the previous seasons who might be submitting an application under a new name of convenience. The form must be submitted to the Association for ratification. Such transfer requests must be made on or before 1st May in any year for Winter season and 1st December for Summer season.

Rule 8 - Affiliation Fees

Each League, Club/ Team(s) shall pay an Annual affiliation Fee as decided each season at the Annual General Meeting of the Leinster Football Association. All affiliation fees must be paid to the Honorary Treasurer of the Association by 15th December in each season, or in the case of a Summer League, by 15th August. Payment of the prescribed affiliation fee shall confirm that the affiliate accepts and agrees to be bound by the Rules of the Association. Any member, whose affiliation fee is not paid by 15th December (Winter), or 15th August (Summer) where applicable, in each year, is liable to be suspended.

Rule 9 – Levies

The Association shall have the power to impose levies for specific purposes, in addition to affiliation fees.

Rule 10 - Hon. Officers of the Association

The Hon. Officers of the Association shall be President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and Assistant Hon. Treasurer

To be eligible for nomination as an Honorary Officer, a person must have served at least three full years from the previous five representing his or her current league as a member of the Council of the Leinster Football Association.

Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Assistant Honorary Treasurer shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Hon. Patrons/Life Members not exceeding in five in number may be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

Honorary Secretary and Honorary Assistant Treasurer shall be elected for terms of two years beginning in 2016 and every two years thereafter

Honorary Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two years beginning in 2017 and every two years thereafter

Honorary Secretary and Honorary Assistant Treasurer shall be elected for terms of two years beginning in 2016 and every two years thereafter.  Honorary Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two years beginning in 2017 and every two years thereafter

Nominations for the positions of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer must be forwarded on official forms, supplied by the Association, to the General Secretary / Administrator, not later than the 30th April in each election year.

Rule 10 A: Executive Member

An Executive Member will also be elected to the LFA Officer Board for a two-year term

Rule 10 B: League Representation on LFA Officer Board

No League shall have more than two Representatives on the LFA Officer Board. This would include whoever the President or Vice President would be at the time

Rule11 – Association’s powers to deal with Breaches, etc.

The Association shall have jurisdiction in all matters connected with the game of soccer in the Province of Leinster. They shall have power to deal, as they think fit, with Leagues, Clubs, their Officials, Members or Players.

Rule 12 – Management

A Council elected in accordance with rule shall conduct the business of the Association. The quorum shall be one third, plus one, of which one must be a Hon. Officer of the Association. It shall decide the dates and times of meetings. Each member shall receive at least two days notice of meetings, which may be called by telephone, facsimile or e-mail, if necessary. The General Secretary / Administrator may call such other meetings as may be necessary.

Rule 13 - Constitution of Council

Representation on Council shall be as follows.

One direct representative from the National League of Ireland, such nomination to be submitted through the Football Association of Ireland.

The following leagues will have representatives as per affiliated teams from the previous season. Leinster Senior League, Leinster Football League, Athletic Union League, Amateur Football League, United Churches League, Dublin & District Schoolboy League, North Dublin Schoolboy/Girls League, Kildare & District Football League, Wicklow & District Football League, Carlow & District Football League, Kilkenny & District League, Wexford Football League, Combined Counties League, North East Football League, UCD Super League, Eastern Women’s Football League, Wexford and District Women’s League

1 to 60 Teams 1 Representative

61 to 120 2 Representatives

121 to 180 3 Representatives

181 to 270 4 Representatives

Over 271 5 Representatives

Should a vacancy occur in Council membership, the League affected shall be empowered to elect a successor.

Beginning from AGM 2023, members shall be limited to a maximum of ten years on LFA Senior Council. Any previous years served before the AGM in 2023 shall not be counted

Leagues with only one member on LFA Senior Council shall be entitled to nominate another member to attend as an observer. This observer shall not be allowed to vote or speak at any meeting unless asked to do so by the President

Professional Players and Professional Referees are ineligible.

Rule 14 - Vacancy in Council

Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, Vice-president, Hon. Secretary, Assistant Hon. Treasurer, the Council shall have the power to appoint a person from aforesaid members to fill the vacancy. No alteration can be made in this Rule except at the Annual General Meeting.

Rule 15 - FAI General Assembly Members

(a)   The Leinster Football Association have been allocated 20 (twenty) seats on the Amateur Pillar of the FAI General Assembly. The LFA are allocating the seats as follows based on current affiliation of the leagues to the Association. One seat each to the Amateur Football League, Athletic Union League, Carlow and District, Combined Counties Football League, Dublin and District Schoolboys League, Eastern Women’s Football League, Kildare and District League, Kilkenny and District League, Leinster Football League, Metropolitan Schoolgirls League, North Dublin Schoolboys League, North East Football League, UCD Superleague, United Churches Football League, Wexford Football League, Wexford and District Women’s League, Wicklow and District League. Two seats are allocated to the Leinster Senior League based on having Junior and Intermediate sections.

(b)   Any member who is unable to attend a General Assembly meeting or FAI AGM / EGM must inform the General Secretary / Administrator of this and a substitute will be selected. Where possible, this substitute will be replaced by a member from the league who cannot attend but this must be done through the office of the LFA

(c)   Any league who do not pay affiliation, disband or are suspended from the LFA will lose their seat on FAI General Assembly and may be replaced as decided by LFA Senior Council

(d)   The President of the LFA is given an automatic seat and his league will be allowed to replace his league seat with another member from their league.

(e)   One seat shall be shared on a two-year rotational basis between Civil Service League and Dundalk and District League beginning in 2021 with Civil Service League and reverting to Dundalk and District League in 2023

(f)    Any new league affiliating to the LFA shall be allocated a seat similar to Rule 15 (e) until determined otherwise by Senior Council

(g)   To represent the LFA on FAI General Assembly, the member must also represent his league on LFA Senior Council

(h)   While the LFA have allocated the seats as per (a), (b) and (c), all members should be aware they are representing the LFA and act accordingly

(i)    Any correspondence to the FAI relating to General Assembly matters shall go through the General Secretary / Administrator

Rule 16 - Election of President, etc. –

At the first meeting of the Council after the Annual General Meeting, which shall be held not later than the 12th June in each year, they shall elect from their number a President and Vice-President to act for a two year term. The President, or in his absence, the Vice-President, shall preside at all meetings of the Council at which he is present, and shall conduct the business in accordance with the ordinary Rules of procedure, of which he shall be the judge. In the absence of the President and Vice-President the Council shall appoint a member to act as President. The President shall have a casting vote only.

To be nominated for the office of President or Vice-President a member must have been at least three full years from the previous five years a member of Council representing his or her current league. An eligible member nominated for office who is not present at the time of his nomination shall have given notice in writing that he is willing to accept the nomination. The outgoing President shall be ex-officio a member of the Executive Committee for the two years immediately following his term of office. During his term of office as President the organisation which he represents on Council shall be entitled to nominate a substitute to act in the Presidents place on Council.

Nominations for the positions of President and Vice President must be forwarded on official forms, supplied by the Association, to the General Secretary / Administrator, not later than the 30th April in each election year.

Rule 17 - Election of Committees

The Council shall have the power to appoint such Committees or Commissions as they may consider necessary and may by resolution of the Council delegate all or any of their powers to such Committees or Commissions.

Each Committee shall at its first meeting elect one of their members to act as its Chairman for the season.

Rule 18 - Appointment of paid Officers, etc.

The Council may appoint and remove such officials as may be necessary and fix their remuneration and confer on them such powers and impose such duties as they may think fit.

Rule 19 - Attendances at Meetings

Any member of the Council failing to attend three consecutive meetings of Council without giving a satisfactory explanation shall forthwith cease to be a member of Council. The league shall be given an opportunity to replace their representative if removed for non-attendance

Rule 20 - Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting, which shall consist of the President, Vice-President and Council of the Association and one representative from each League/Club in membership, shall be held no later than the 12th June each year. At least seven days notice shall be given of such meetings and notification shall be by means of email. No individual shall represent two Leagues or Clubs. Hon. Patrons/Life Members shall be entitled to be present and speak at all meetings, but shall not be entitled to vote except as representatives of Leagues or Clubs.

Rule 20.1 – Pandemic and Lockdowns
During a pandemic and lockdowns where no football is played the Senior Council can approve that all members fees will be waived thus allowing our members to attend and vote at the AGM of the Leinster Football Association.

Rule 21- Extraordinary General Meeting

Extraordinary General Meetings may be called by the Council as they may deem necessary and rules are permitted to be changed at this meeting.

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall also be called upon receipt by the General Secretary / Administrator of this Association of a requisition signed by the Secretaries of at least forty Clubs, accompanied by a deposit of €1,000, to defray expenses incurred, balance, if any, to be refunded. Notification to be sent by E-mail to each club at least 14 days before the holding of the extraordinary general meeting. No other business shall be transacted except that stated on the requisition.

Rule 22 - Those eligible to attend Annual General Meetings or Special General Meetings

No Club or League shall have a right to a representative to the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting unless their FAI Affiliation Fee has been paid by 15th December, or 15th August where applicable, previous.

Rule 23 - Leagues & Clubs dissatisfied

Leagues, Clubs, players and officials, dissatisfied with decisions of any affiliated body shall have the right to appeal to this Association.

1 Appeals must be sent by registered post within four days of the date on which the written notification of the decision being appealed against was received by the appellant. Appeals must be addressed to the Administrator of the Association. In the event of a postal dispute or similar emergency, the appellant shall contact the Administrator to ascertain what temporary alternative arrangements have been put in place by the Association.  The initial appeal documents must include a copy of the decision being appealed against and the appellant must indicate the date upon which such decision was received by the appellant. An exact copy of all documents submitted to the Divisional Association in connection with the appeal must be simultaneously sent by registered post to the body whose decision is the subject of the appeal..

2 It shall be accompanied by the appropriate appeal fee which may be determined by the Association at its last AGM, in the form of a Bank Draft, Postal or Money Order only which should be crossed and made payable to the Divisional Association. Should Cheque or Cash be submitted the appeal will be rendered invalid. This fee shall be refunded only if the appeal is fully successful. The fee shall be set at €300

3 The appellant must state in writing the substance of the appeal and supply the pertinent evidence.

4 The body against whose decision the appeal is made must send to the Divisional Association at least two (2) days before the hearing, a true copy of the minutes of the meeting in which the decision being appealed against was made and any proof of notification or delivery of such decision to the appellant. Such body shall also send reasons for making that decision, plus any other requested documentation or other documentation relevant to the appeal,. Failure to comply with the correct procedure as outlined above may result in disciplinary action being taken.

5 All appeal hearings shall commence within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the appeal, by the Divisional Association. The Divisional Association shall inform all parties to the appeal of the venue, date and time of the Appeal Committee hearing.

6 All parties in an appeal shall be notified by the Administrator of the Leinster Football Association within four days by fax and/or electronic mail and/or registered post, of the decision of the Appeals Committee

In urgent matters, the Chairperson may issue or direct the Administrator to issue an oral decision in advance of written notification.

7 In cases of urgency, the Divisional Association may amend the time limits indicated above, with the exception of the time limit to file an appeal, in order to facilitate an expedited appeals process

8. Any party involved in the appeal, which fails to attend an Appeal hearing if requested to do so by the Appeal Committee may be subject to disciplinary action.

9 Any omissions or errors in this Rule will always be superseded by the Rules of F.A.I.

Rule 24. Hearings

1 The appeals committee shall consist of a minimum three members of Council and a maximum of five, selected by the Administrator, one of whom shall act as Chairman.

2 No member of Council shall take part in any appeal affecting his Club or League.directly or indirectly

3 The committee hearings are deemed to be valid if a minimum of  three selected members are in attendance

4 The Appeals Committees shall decide by simple majority

Rule 25.  Remit of the Appeal Committee

1 The Appeal Committee shall re-hear the case in question.

2 The Appeal Committee shall consider all evidence that it deems relevant to the case.

3. The Appeal Committee shall hear all witnesses’ evidence that it considers relevant to the case.

4. The Appeal Committee shall have the power to uphold or reject the appeal and/or to replace or vary the decision of the previous decision making body, deduct points or award a match; if they are satisfied the appeal was frivolous or lodged to seek to gain the use of a player in a fixture, provided the decision of the Appeal Committee is not in conflict with any of the rules of the FAI, which shall take precedence at all times.

5. The Appeal Committee may adjourn or suspend proceedings for further deliberation or to seek further or additional evidence or expert advice,. Following an adjournment the Appeal Committee must reconvene within ten days.

6         The Appeals Committee may, at its discretion, rectify any obvious calculation error or typographical error contained in its decision. Any request by a party for such a rectification must be submitted to the Divisional Association within five days of receipt of the decision in question.

Rule 26. Notification of Decisions

1. The Divisional Association shall notify a copy of each decision to all parties to the procedure.

2. Decisions and other documents intended for players or officials may be addressed to the club, or other body concerned.

3. Decisions shall be communicated by fax and/or electronic mail and/or by registered post. A fax or electronic delivery report or registered post receipt is sufficient evidence that a decision has been properly notified.

4. Notification by the Divisional Association of the Appeals Committee shall be sent by fax and/or, electronic mail and/or registered post within four days (4) of the hearing.

Rule 27. Enforcement of Decisions

Decisions come into force as per the terms of the notified decision.

Rule 28. Failure to Respect Decisions

1. It shall be an offence not to comply with a decision of the Appeals Committee, and any party that fails to respect such a decision may be fined.

2. In addition to imposing a fine, the disciplinary bodies of the Divisional Association may grant a final deadline in which the party must comply with the decision. If the party does not comply with the decision within the final deadline, the disciplinary bodies may impose a further sanction, including an additional fine, deduction of points, relegation to a lower division, a transfer ban, or a ban on any football-related activity

Rule 29.  Appeals by a Player:

In no circumstances can an appeal by a player against a decision of this association be reviewed except by appeal to the FAI and must be in accordance with the rules of that Association.

Rule 30 – Voting

At any meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is demanded on any question. A declaration of the Chairman that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority or lost, or not carried by a particular majority and an entry to that effect made in the Minute Book of the proceedings of the Association, shall be sufficient evidence of the fact, without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded. A like declaration and entry of the result of a ballot shall have a like effect. A poll must be demanded by not less than one-fifth of the duly nominated representatives present, and it shall be taken in such a manner as maybe determined by the Chairman and the result of such poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the Association. A poll demanded on the election of a President or on the question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. Representatives may only give votes personally, and voting by proxy shall not be permitted. If any votes are given or counted at a meeting which shall afterwards be discovered to be improperly given or counted, the same shall not affect the validity of any resolution or thing passed or done at the meeting, and not in that case, unless the Chairman shall then and there decide that the error is of sufficient magnitude to affect such resolution or thing.

Each representative, duly nominated, present and entitled to vote, shall have one vote, provided that the Chairman, being a representative appointed by a member for the purpose of the meeting, shall have a casting vote as well as the original one. The Chairman shall at a meeting if he has not been appointed by a member as representative for the purposes of the meeting, have a casting vote only, and not an original vote.

Rule 31– Delegates

The Council shall have power to appoint representatives to other Associations, or delegates to any conference of Association.

Rule 32 – Funds

The Hon. Treasurer shall take charge of the Funds for and on behalf of the Association and keep regular accounts of it. He shall submit statements of receipts and disbursements to the Executive / Finance Committee, the Council and the Annual General Meeting. The funds of the Association shall be lodged in such financial institutions as may be approved by the Council. All payments must be made by cheque / online bank transfer /credit card, which must be signed by any three of the four nominated persons, i.e. the President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and General Secretary/Administrator. The statement of accounts and balance sheet of the Association shall be audited and made available to each member at the Annual General Meeting. The Council may order intermediate audits at any time. Annual audited accounts shall be kept and made available to the Revenue Commissioners on request. The financial year for the Association shall be the calendar year January 1^st to December 31st

Rule 33 - Borrowing

The Executive may from time to time borrow, raise or secure the payment of money, for the purpose of the Council in such manner or on such terms as may be expedient, provided always that they shall not at any time borrow a sum in excess of €10,000 without sanction of Council at a full meeting.

Rule 34 - Duties of General Secretary / Administrator

The Association may appoint a full-time Administrator (henceforth referred to as the Administrator) for such period as may be agreed by Council. The Administrator shall assume the role of General Secretary of the Association and will be charged with all the duties and responsibilities hither to assigned to the General Secretary. The Administrator will be entitled to be a non-voting member of Council and any sub-committees or commissions established by Council and will be entitled to represent the Association (in accordance with the role of General Secretary) at external committees, commissions, conferences and present a report of the season’s work at the Annual General Meeting.

Rule 35 - Information to be furnished by Leagues and Clubs

Each League and Club (through its League), shall forward to the General Secretary / Administrator of the Association, with its own affiliation fee, all particulars, and the situations of its ground and dressing room, stating whether ground is public or private. Leagues and Clubs shall be required to keep minutes of their meetings, showing the names and dates of election of new members. Every affiliated League and Club member is obliged to have appropriate Public Liability Insurance which must cover the premises they use and the grounds on which they train and play their matches, dressing rooms, stands, administrative buildings, and organised functions and or by the League or Club.

Rule 36 - Breach of the Rules, etc

An infringement of any of the Rules of this Association and/or the Laws of the Game shall render any Club or League and any member of same, and any player of a club liable to expulsion, suspension, fine or such other penalty as the Council may think just.

Rule 37 - Players’ or members Position During Suspension

A player or member of a Club or Council during his period of suspension shall not play or take part in any match or fixture under this Association, and shall not hold any office in his Club or act in any capacity under this Association.

Rule 38 - Suspended Person Ineligible for Council, etc

If a suspended person or a suspended member of a Club or Council is a member of the Council, Junior or Youth Committee the organisation which he represents may elect a person to act in his stead during the period of his suspension, but not beyond the time he would have acted under Rules.

Rule 39 - Suspended Person Cannot Attend Meeting

A suspended player or a suspended member of a Club during the period of his suspension shall not be a representative at any General Meeting of the Association, or any meeting of any body under the jurisdiction of this Association. All leagues under the Jurisdiction of the Leinster Football Association should notify the Association of all players suspended for twelve months or more by the league. This information shall be forwarded on a regular basis by the General Secretary / Administrator to all other leagues under the umbrella of the LFA

A player or official while under suspension is not entitled to take part in any activity under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Ireland.

Rule 40 - Club Suspended

A suspended Club during the period of suspension shall not have any representation at any General meeting of this Association.

Rule 41 - Date of Suspension

Suspensions shall commence on the date, and for the period specified, on the notice of suspension.

Rule 42 - Powers to deal with any player refusing to play in representative match, and a Club who may have encouraged such player

Any player selected to play in any Inter-Provincial or other match arranged by this Association, and without good and sufficient cause refusing to comply with the arrangements of the Council for the Playing of the match, or, failing to play in such match, may be adjudged by the Council to be guilty of misconduct, and any club who may have deemed to have encouraged or instigated such player to commit a breach of instructions or rules shall be deemed guilty of a similar offence an may be dealt with as the Council think fit.

Rule 43 - Club or player with any unaffiliated Club. Power to forbid

No Club or Player shall be permitted to play matches with any unaffiliated Club in Ireland without first obtaining the consent of the Council.

Rule 44 - Outside or Summer/ Winter  Competitions

No club or team affiliated to this Association shall enter or compete in any league or competition outside the province of Leinster without the prior permission of the Association and no affiliated club or team may organise or take part in a Winter / Summer Competition without the prior sanction of the Association. Application must be made by an affiliated member and submitted on the official application form available from the Association.

Rule 45 - Power to deal with League

The Council may suspend or otherwise deal with any Committee, League or Competition under the jurisdiction of this Association or the Junior or Youth Committee who shall be deemed guilty of infringing these rules or of misconduct in connection with the management of the affairs of such Committees, League or Competition.

Rule 46 – Production of Documents

Clubs and Leagues must produce their books and documents for inspection at any time the Council may desire, and Leagues must present to the Council at the end of the season their balance sheet for inspection if requested. Any infringement of this Rule shall render any such Club or League liable to suspension.

Rule 47 - Cup Rules

The Cup Committee are authorised to make such Rules and Regulations with reference to the Challenge Cup Competitions as they deem expedient at their opening meeting, but in no way shall they alter the rules until the final game has been played in a season’s competition.

Rule 48 - Members of Council entitled to free admission to matches

Members of the Council of this Association shall be entitled to free admission to all matches played under the jurisdiction of this Association on producing their card of membership.

Rule 49 - Legal Owners of Cups, Funds and Property

The President, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer for the time of holding office in this Association shall be for all intents and purposes the Trustees and legal owners of the cups, moneys and property of this Association. They shall deal with it according to the decisions of the Council, of which an entry in the Minute Book of the Association shall be conclusive evidence.

Rule 50 - Duties of a Club Secretary

Clubs changing their Secretaries, or Secretaries changing their addresses, are required to advise the General Secretary / Administrator of the Association of the alteration at once.

Rule 51 - Communication to the F.A.I.

Communications by Leagues, Clubs, players, intended for consideration by the F.A.I. must be transmitted through the General Secretary / Administrator of the Association unless otherwise expressly provided for by these Rules or the Rules and Regulations of the Football Association of Ireland.

Rule 52 – Indemnity

Every Trustee, Officer, member of Council, Junior Committee or Youth Committee General Secretary / Administrator, or other Official or servant of this Association shall be indemnified by this Association against all costs, damages, compensations, losses and expenses incurred by him in or about the discharge of his duties, except such as accrues from their own respectful wilful acts and defaults.

Rule 53 - Notice of Alterations of Rules

In the event of any alteration in these Rules being deemed necessary, notice of the proposed alteration shall be sent in writing to the General Secretary / Administrator by requisition for a Special General Meeting, as provided for by Rule, or at latest by the 30th April in each year, and the General Secretary / Administrator shall at least one week prior to the Annual General Meeting inform each club of the proposed alteration and any alteration proposed by Council. A majority of two thirds of the members present and voting shall be necessary to carry any alteration in these rules.

Rule 54 - Council Power

The Council shall have the power to deal with any matter, not provided for in these Rules, by way of a Minute Rule. If the matter concerns a possible rule change, they shall submit their decision to the next meeting of the LFA Rules Sanction and Revision Committee for consideration. Nothing in these rules shall be contrary to the Rules of the Football Association of Ireland and said rules shall be read and held as part of these rules.

Rule 55 - Interruption of Postal Services

In the event of an interruption in the postal service, correspondence in connection with protests, appeals, investigations and nominations shall be with the General Secretary / Administrator of the Association at the registered office of the Association. in accordance with the provisions of the appropriate rule and a dated receipt obtained. Notification of Annual General Meetings or Special General Meetings and Meetings of Council shall be placed in the National and Leinster Provincial papers.