Companies Act, 1963

Power to dispense with “limited” or “teoranta” in name of charitable and other companies.

24.—(1) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of the Minister that an association about to be formed as a limited company is to be formed for promoting commerce, art, science, religion, charity or any other useful object, and intends to apply its profits, if any, or other income, in promoting its objects, and to prohibit the payment of any dividend to its members, the Minister may by licence direct that the association may be registered as a company with limited liability, without the addition of the word “limited” or the word “teoranta” to its name, and the association may be registered accordingly and shall, on registration, enjoy all the privileges and (subject to the provisions of this section) be subject to all the obligations of limited companies.

(2) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of the Minister—

(a) that the objects of a company registered as a limited company are restricted to those specified in subsection (1) and to objects incidental or conducive thereto; and

(b) that, by its constitution, the company is required to apply its profits, if any, or other income in promoting its objects, and is prohibited from paying any dividend to its members;

the Minister may by licence authorise the company to make, by special resolution, a change in its name, including or consisting of the omission of the word “limited” or “teoranta” and subsections (3) and (4) of section 23 shall apply to a change of name under this subsection as they apply to a change of name under that section.

(3) A licence by the Minister under this section may be granted on such conditions as the Minister thinks fit, and those conditions shall be binding on the body to which the licence is granted, and (where the grant is under subsection (1)) shall, if the Minister so directs, be inserted in the memorandum and articles or in one of those documents.

(4) A body in respect of which a licence under this section is in force shall be exempt from the provisions of this Act relating to the use of the words “limited” or “teoranta” as any part of its name, and the publishing of its name.

(5) A licence under this section may, at any time, be revoked by the Minister and, upon revocation, the registrar shall enter the word “limited” or “teoranta” at the end of the name upon the register of the body to which it was granted.

(6) Before a licence is revoked by virtue of subsection (5), the Minister shall give to the body notice in writing of his intention, and shall afford it an opportunity of being heard in opposition to the revocation.

(7) Where a body, in respect of which a licence under this section is in force, alters the provisions of its memorandum relating to its objects, the Minister may (unless he sees fit to revoke the licence) vary the licence by making it subject to such conditions as the Minister thinks fit, in lieu of or in addition to the conditions, if any, to which the licence was formerly subject.

(8) Where a licence, granted under this section to a body the name of which contains the words “chamber of commerce,” is revoked, the body shall, within a period of 6 weeks from the date of revocation or such longer period as the Minister may think fit to allow, change its name to a name which does not contain those words, and—

(a) the notice to be given under subsection (6) to that body shall include a statement of the effect of the foregoing provisions of this subsection, and

(b) subsections (3) and (4) of section 23 shall apply to a change of name under this subsection as they apply to a change of name under that section.

If the body makes default in complying with the requirements of this subsection, it shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £100.

General Provisions relating to Memorandum and Articles.