Red Cross Act, 1938

Establishment of Red Cross Society.

1.—(1) The Government may by order (in this section referred to as the establishment order) declare—

(a) that there shall be established as on and from a specified date a society (in this Act referred to as the Society) to be called by the name specified in the establishment order;

(b) that the Society shall by such name be a body corporate and have perpetual succession and a common seal (which shall be judicially noticed) and may by such name sue and be sued;

(c) that the primary objects of the Society shall be—

(i) to furnish volunteer aid to the sick and wounded of armies in time of war,

(ii) to furnish relief to prisoners of war,

(iii) in time of peace or war to carry on and assist in work for the improvement of health, the prevention of disease and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world;

(d) that the Society shall consist of the persons named in that behalf in the establishment order and all other persons who shall, in accordance with the rules of the Society, become members thereof so long as such first mentioned persons or such other persons (as the case may be) continue to be members.

(2) The Government may by the establishment order make provision in relation to all or any of the following matters, that is to say:—

(a) the powers of the Society;

(b) the organisation of the Society;

(c) the management and administration of the affairs of the Society by a governing body;

(d) the delegation to such governing body of the power to make rules for the Society;

(e) the holding of annual and other meetings of the Society;

(f) the finances and accounts of the Society;

(g) any other matters in relation to the Society in respect of which it appears to the Government desirable and proper that provision should be made.

(3) The Government may, whenever and so often as they think fit, by order under this sub-section amend (whether by addition, omission, or variation) the establishment order or any order under this sub-section.

(4) Every order made under this section shall have, according to the tenor thereof, the force of law.

(5) Every order under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and, if a resolution annulling such order is passed by either House of the Oireachtas within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat after such order is so laid before it, such order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such order.