Companies Act, 1963

Way in which and extent to which objects of company may be altered.

10.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), a company may, by special resolution, alter the provisions of its memorandum by abandoning, restricting or amending any existing object or by adopting a new object and any alteration so made shall be as valid as if originally contained therein, and be subject to alteration in like manner.

(2) If an application is made to the court in accordance with this section for the alteration to be cancelled, it shall not have effect except in so far as it is confirmed by the court.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), an application under this section may be made—

(a) by the holders of not less in the aggregate than 15% in nominal value of the company's issued share capital or any class thereof or, if the company is not limited by shares, not less than 15% of the company's members; or

(b) by the holders of not less than 15% of the company's debentures, entitling the holders to object to alterations of its objects.

(4) An application shall not be made under this section by any person who has consented to or voted in favour of the alteration.

(5) An application under this section must be made within 21 days after the date on which the resolution altering the company's objects was passed, and may be made on behalf of the persons entitled to make the application by such one or more of their number as they may appoint in writing for the purpose.

(6) On an application under this section, the court may make an order cancelling the alteration or confirming the alteration either wholly or in part and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit, and may, if it thinks fit, adjourn the proceedings in order that an arrangement may be made to the satisfaction of the court for the purchase of the interests of dissentient members, and may give such directions and make such orders as it may think expedient for facilitating or carrying into effect any such arrangement so, however, that no part of the capital of the company shall be expended in any such purchase.

(7) The debentures entitling the holders to object to alterations of a company's objects shall be any debentures secured by a floating charge which were issued or first issued before the operative date or form part of the same series as any debentures so issued, and a special resolution altering a company's objects shall require the same notice to the holders of any such debentures as to members of the company, so however that not less than 10 days' notice shall be given to the holders of any such debentures.

In default of any provisions regulating the giving of notice to any such debenture holders, the provisions of the company's articles regulating the giving of notice to members shall apply.

(8) In the case of a company which is, by virtue of a licence from the Minister, exempt from the obligation to use the word “limited” or “teoranta” as part of its name, a resolution altering the company's objects shall also require the same notice to the Minister as to holders of debentures.

(9) Where a company passes a resolution altering its objects—

(a) if no application is made with respect thereto under this section, it shall, within 15 days from the end of the period for making such an application, deliver to the registrar of companies a printed copy of its memorandum as altered; and

(b) if such an application is made, it shall—

(i) forthwith give notice of that fact to the registrar; and

(ii) within 15 days from the date of any order cancelling or confirming the alteration, deliver to the registrar an office copy of the order and, in the case of an order confirming the alteration, a printed copy of the memorandum as altered.

The court may by order at any time extend the time for delivery of documents to the registrar under paragraph (b) for such period as the court may think proper.

(10) If a company makes default in giving notice or delivering any document to the registrar as required by subsection (9), the company and every officer of the company who is in default shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £50.

(11) In relation to a resolution for altering the provisions of a company's memorandum relating to the objects of the company passed before the operative date, this section shall have effect as if, in lieu of subsections (2) to (10), there had been enacted subsections (2) to (7) of section 9 of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908 .

Articles of Association.