1. Training Policy Group:
Members: James Lyons (Chair), Rupert Musgrave, Dennis Dillon, Jeff Cochrane, Tadg Murphy and Dave Ballesty, with Dave Garvey in attendance.
2020 Focus Areas:
- Covid-19 impact on delivery of Irish Sailing training schemes.
- Exploration of blended learning to complement training courses.
- Review of Instructor Trainers Contract and development of trainers’ selection policy.
- Establish a review process for the participation tracking policy to include a review of the platform used (Checklick) –Implementation for 2022 season.
- Establish a review process for the Small Boat Sailing Scheme, implementation for 2022 season.
2. Race Officials Policy Group
Members: David Lovegrove (Chair), David O’Brien (Board member), Gordon Davies, Mal Nowlan, Suzanne Mc Garry, Fergus O’Kelly, Philip Scallan, Liam Maloney, Ciarán McSweeney and Cxema Pico, with Sarah-Louise Rossiter in attendance
Focus Areas:
- Recommend qualifications and standards for the appointment of Irish Sailing race officials.
- Develop policy on all racing matters for approval by the Board of IS
- Organise an Irish Sailing Race Event Management & Support Conference
- Appoint Race Officials in accordance with agreed validation process
- Develop a structure for Event Safety Leaders
- Administer racing rules and appeal process
3. Cruising & Representation Policy Group:
Members: Vera Quinlan (Chair), Alex Blackwell, Norman Keane, John Leahy and John Murphy, with Gail MacAllister in attendance.
Focus Areas:
Cruising:
- Develop Irish Sailing's function in support of leisure boaters and policies to encourage participation in cruising activities
- Design, organise and run an annual Cruising Conference
- Take input from affiliated organisations of cruising sailors in Ireland, including clubs and cruising schools
- Support Irish Sailing's training courses up to Yachtmaster Ocean level
- Encourage and support the development of commercial and State strategies for the provision of marine leisure infrastructure
- Liaise with Irish Sailing on Cruising and Leisure Boating.
Representation:
- Consider requests for submissions issued by government and other authorities, decide if a response is required and respond as appropriate.
- Monitor government and regulatory issues affecting leisure boaters of all kinds and initiate and develop responses as required.
- Develop and draft strategies and tactics to address any regulatory and other issues affecting leisure boaters.
4. Racing Rules Committee and Appeal Board:
Members: Gordon Davies (Chair), Mike O'Connor, Cxema Pico, Chris Lindsay, Bill O' Hara, Ailbe Millerick, Emmet Dalton, Ed Alcock, Anthony O' Leary, Geoff O'Donoghue, Diane Kissane and David Lovegrove, with Sarah-Louise Rossiter in attendance.
Focus Areas:
- Promoting and implementing and answering questions on the Racing Rules of Sailing.
- Hearing of appealed decisions and resolving disagreements.
- Work with clubs and classes who wish to develop or test proposed rules.
- Define and monitor the implementation of policy and strategy for the RRS in Ireland.
- Promote interest in, understanding of and compliance with the RRS. This may include providing content for Irish Sailing publications.
- Draft submissions for Irish Sailing Prescriptions for approval by the Irish Sailing Board.
- Assist event organisers who wish to obtain approval for denial of right of appeal or for the appointment of an International Jury.
- Draft Irish Sailing submissions to World Sailing for changes to the RRS and monitor other submissions.
5. ICRA – Irish Cruiser Racing Association
ICRA Executives: Richard Colwell (Commodore), Cxema Pico (Hon Secretary), John Leech (Hon Treasurer), David Cullen, Mark Mills, Ric Morris, Johanna Murphy, Brian Rafftery, Denis Byrne, Peter Ryan
ICRA operate as an independent association under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Irish Sailing Board. The current MOU is due for review at the end of 2017.
Website - cruiserracing.ie
Focus for the future - Strategic Plan 2018 - 2020
6. Olympic Steering Group (OSG)
Members: John Menton (Chair), Morgan Buckley, Elaine Mettler, Trevor Millar, Sarah O'Connor, Bill O'Hara, Marcus Spillane, Colin Kavanagh, David Nucifora, Harry Hermon and James O’Callaghan, with Rory Fitzpatrick in attendance.
The High Performance Policy Group is referred to as the ‘Olympic Steering Group’ (OSG) and operates under separate Terms of Reference reviewed every four years and approved by the Irish Sailing Board. The group operates on a four year cycle in line with the Olympic Quadrennial. The Current aim of the of the group is to: oversee the delivery of the Irish Sailing’s performance plan with the goal of winning a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
7. Communications Policy Group (OSG)
Members: Andrew Bradley, Justin Cullen and Valda Boardman, withTreasa Cox in attendance.
The role of the CPG is to guide on communications for Irish Sailing, as well as specific projects including the Irish Sailing Awards, Sponsorship, Social Media, Media and PR relations, Branding and Promotion.
8. Racing & Classes Policy Group
Members: Katie Dwyer (board member and chair), Mary McCormack, Jocelyn Hill, Ian Travers, Dave Love, with Sarah-Louise Rossiter in attendance.
Focus areas:
- Support the sharing and collaboration of ideas across the affiliated classes
- Act as a support resource for classes, awareness that the support is there, social media build-support for classes
- Develop classes page on Irish Sailing website and consider a news feed around class activity
- Establish co-operation for multi-class events
- To collaborate with Classes to provide competitive fun and accessible racing programmes
- Identify and deliver core supports for Classes to increase participation in competitive activities for all
- Explore and develop Coach development paths and resources
- Investigate youth attrition prevention – develop links to provide transition paths (extend life in a class or transition to another class)
- Develop an awareness of the supports available to events, clubs and classes
- Communicate clashes in calendars, support and build the event calendar resource
- Support a Classes Forum on an annual basis
- Support for classes nominating Champions’ Cup nominees
- Updates of new committees within classes and events
- Develop support materials for Clubs and Classes bidding and hosting international events
- Build a news feed around class activities and events:
- Explore what can be done to support Inclusion and Diversity racing
- Explore new initiatives for class and event development