NISO Annual General Meeting, 23 April 2015 President’s Report The Executive, my Fellow Honorary Officers and I wish to extend a warm welcome to you our members and invited guests here in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin at our 2015 Annual General Meeting. 2014 marked a significant and very important milestone in NISO`s history. Our annual conference is the premier health and safety conference and NISO was delighted to be joined by the HSA who were marking their 25th year of the safety, health and welfare at work act 1989, which saw the establishment of the health and safety authority. The conference was opened by President Michael D. Higgins. This was a great privilege for me to welcome the President on behalf of NISO to our conference. Earlier in the year, the officers and a delegation from the executive committee were invited to Áras an Uachtaráin as guests of President Michael D.Higgins. This was a great experience and he officers and executive enjoyed their memorable visit and the hospitality that was afforded to them. Indeed NISO being honored by the President twice in the same year was remarkable. 2014 was another busy year for NISO, with many issues on the table of business, both at executive level and officers meetings. I will deal with some of these issues in my report. With the slight improvement in the Irish economy, our membership showed an increase in 2014. NISO continues to recruit new members. The financial position of the organisation for 2014 has been prudently monitored by the officers and executive committee. Our honorary treasurer, Des Brandon will deliver his financial report for 2014 to the 2015 Annual General Meeting. 1
In 2008, as members will recall, when I delivered my report to the 2009 Annual General Meeting, NISO was in debt to the tune of €480, 000. The financial affairs of the organisation at that time were in a poor and unhealthy state. I am pleased to state here today, that by the end of 2015, NISO will have cleared its debts and repaid the loan it had borrowed to deal with this debt. I am pleased to state that the success of the five year recovery plan will be further demonstrated in the reports of our our honorary treasurer, Des Brandon. Staffing levels are currently at four full time employees and one part time employee. It is hoped in the near future that NISO will be recruiting another member of staff. On behalf of the NISO officers, executive committee and the wider membership, I would like to record our sincere thanks to the hard working and dedicated staff at NISO head office. NISO continues to raise concerns around the whole area of health and safety training that was previously under the Fetac control and has now been taken over by the Qualification and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland, QQAI and who are continually extending the course hours. In our most recent correspondence to Minister Ged Nash, we have again communicated our concerns. NISO is currently engaging with IOSH, regarding the accreditation of a number of NISO courses as well as running IOSH courses for our members. The relationship between NISO and IOSH continues to strengthen based on our common goal to promote safety in the workplace and prevent accidents and ill health. NISO sits on a number of working groups some of which are, the HSA, REACH Working Group, Construction Safety Partnership, Electrical Technical Council of Ireland (ETCI), European Focal Group, and a number of HSA Regional Advisory Groups. 2
NISO is also concerned regarding the continual cuts in funding to the Health and Safety Authority by the Department of Finance. NISO hopes that the HSA is well resourced and funded to enable it to deal with the forecast upturn in employment and especially within the construction industry that the Government has stated. NISO continued to hold very successful farm safety workshops during 2014. This is an area which requires urgent attention, as the increase in serious accidents and fatalities is not showing a positive downward trend. 2014 recorded the highest number of farm fatalities with thirty (30) to the end of year, seven (7) of those were children. NISO will continue to work with all the relevant agencies in promoting farm safety and within the wider employment sector. I would like to thank the following organisations and individuals who have supported NISO with the successful farm safety workshops, Pat Griffin HSA, Ciaran Roche FBD, John McNamara Teagasc, Peter Gohery Farmer, Professor Michael Hynes and most recently Professor Kevin Barry. In January and February of 2015, NISO had one hundred and sixty nine farmers between Cork and Mayo in attendance at the two, one day farm safety workshops. I have visited and met with a number of member organisations in 2014, thereby using these opportunities to strengthen the working relationship with these member organisations. During these visits, it is very clear to see how high in esteem these organisations regard NISO and how well they promote their in-‐house safety, health and welfare culture. As reported in my report at last years AGM, a working group was set up, chaired by myself to put in place a business development plan for the future of NISO. 3
This will be known as the 2015 -‐ 2020 Business Development Plan and will be launched later this year. It will look at delivering courses and seminars and make better use of social media, focusing on sensibly growing the membership and further developing our flagship events. This is a small sample of what is to be included within the 2015 -‐ 2020 plan. This plan has been well thought out. I would like to thank the hard working head office staff and my fellow directors for the time and commitment given in developing this plan. The 2015 conference and safety awards will be hosted by our Western region on October 2nd in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway. This year NISO will launch a new award to be known as the NISO superior performance award. This award will be sponsored by Anderco Safety, Cork. This award will be awarded on the basis of a successful submission that demonstrates a company has demonstrated and supported evidence of superior performance in occupational safety. Sadly, in July 2014, NISO learned of the passing of Paul Kerrigan R.I.P. Paul served as President of NISO from 1997 to 2000 along with other officers positions. His removal and funeral was attended by many past and current presidents, officers and executive members. I would like to thank the Ministers, Minister Richard Bruton T.D. and Minister Ged Nash T.D. and their officials for their support and help during 2014. I look forward to meeting with Minister Ged Nash in the very near future. I would like to acknowledge the Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash who has put in place Workers Memorial Day 28th April, which will now become an annually recurring event. The theme of this years event is “Remembering the past for a safe and healthy future”. The venue is Hugh Lane gallery, Parnell Square. I would encourage all members to mark this day with an event in their workplace. 4
I would further like to thank Martin O`Halloran CEO of the HSA and his officials for the ongoing support shown to NISO throughout the year. I would like to place on record, a vote of gratitude and thanks to our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Safety Group, NISG, my fellow officers and executive committee members for their wise council given during 2014, our regional committees for supporting and helping NISO at both regional and national levels and the hard working and dedicated staff at NISO head office. Thank You. Pauric Corrigan NISO President 5