National President - Geoff Meagher
The Society of St Vincent De Paul is a membership organisation and our governance structures reflect this. The basic operating unit of the Society is the local Conference, of which there are over 1,000. The Conferences are organised into 100 Areas. These are organised into 13 Regions, which in turn form the national organisation. Each Conference, Area and Region has an elected President who can serve between a 3 and 5 year term.
The National Management Council is the directive, co-ordinating and management body of the Society in Ireland and sets the policy of the Society, consistent with the Mission and Values Statement. It is also responsible for the overall direction, control and management of the activities of the Society at national, regional, area and local level and in respect of the Society’s special works, implementing its policy consistent with the Mission and Values Statement.
The membership of the National Management Council is the National President and 13 Regional President and a small number appointed by the National President in accordance with the Rule. The Council are also the trustees of the Society. The Council normally meets once in every six weeks.
The National Co-ordinating Committee is a committee of the National Management Council, appointed at the sole discretion of the National President, the function of which is to assist, advise and support the National President in performing the functions of his or her Office, in respect of the day-to-day functions of the Society in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland.
The National Council, instituted by the International Council-General of the Society of St Vincent dePaul, is the representative body of the Society in Ireland. It comprises the National President, the presidents of regional and area councils and a small number of members nominated by the National President, and numbers 120. The National Council normally meets once a year.