Summertime normally keeps the Chairman quiet for a month — or less if it rains and in Ireland it invariably rains. Weather forecasts here have a certain regularity to them: “Cloudy with bright spells and the risk of occasional rain”, however this summer was different. On most days, a strange bright ball of light ascended into a clear sky, which dramatically increased sales of icecream and the black stuff but totally destroyed the fishing.

Becalmed on a mountain lake in County Donegal, surrounded by plump brown trout lolling around the boat, studying my fancy dryflies in various attitudes of disbelief and outright contempt, the muffled tones of my mobile phone came as a welcome relief from boredom. The message: a reminder that our new Editor’s deadline for copy was perilously close.


When I took over as Chairman two years ago, I announced an aim to focus special attention upon three key areas where improvements were deemed necessary. The need for a more robust externalisation of policy to give greater expression to our growing international dimension; sharpened perception of the professional needs of members in their employment, so that membership is properly recognised as a meaningful asset of relevance to their careers; and the paramount importance of sustained growth in membership numbers. A diverse range of promotional events, creative profile-raising activities and infrastructural changes in the way that we function has delivered significant progress.
One particular initiative, merits explanation.

It was recognised that many former members had lost contact with the Institute for various understandable reasons. The strike-off regime for non-payment of subscriptions has been to a certain extent mechanical. It has pre-supposed that Head Office records were sacrosanct which was not the case. A degree of randomness inherent in the system carried the potential for error, which is neither tidy nor is it fair.

Following the completion of the task of cleaning up the membership database and in keeping with the spirit of renewal underway in the Institute, I sought and obtained Council’s approval to extend to lapsed members an offer to apply for re-admission under amnesty. The Chairman’s Amnesty 2003 allowed struck-off members or those liable for strike-off due to subscription arrears, a one-off opportunity to seek re-entry without penalty. The take-up has been satisfactory and I welcome back those former members who have availed themselves of the amnesty.

As my term of office draws to a close, it is only fitting that I should commend the tireless efforts of your Council, Committee members, Director-General and staff who have collectively brought about a remarkable transformation in the style, outlook and prospects for the Institute during these past two busy years. There is now a much clearer sense of purpose to our development and a definite spring in our step as we strive to meet the professional needs of our members in a fast-moving global environment.

Signing-off watch, I am pleased to report that we are on course, with visibility good, and conditions fine and clear.

Gordon McMillan
Chairman

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