Committees

The Governance Team comprises of the following Council members:

• President.
• President-elect.
• Past President.
• Honorary Secretary.
• Honorary Treasurer.
• Membership Secretary.
• International Liaison Officer.

This group forms the Governance Team of the Society, along with the Chief Executive Officer in an ex officio capacity. This group is a sub-group of Council and can be convened by its members or the Chief Executive Officer, if required, from time to time to discuss matters of strategic importance or to take decisions on behalf of Council which may require an urgent response. It is not intended to replace Council but to augment it as need arises.

Its role is to:

● Act as the overseeing Governing Team of the Society for its period of office.
● Ensure compliance with all Society guidelines & legal and financial requirements.
● Ensure all members of Council and Chairs of Groups are aware of their responsibilities.
● Take urgent action/decision-making if necessary in between Council meetings.

Meetings of the Governance Team should be minuted and any decisions taken by the Governance Team should be noted and discussed in the subsequent Council meeting.

Purpose & Objectives

• To review and approve applications for Chartered Membership and overseas applications
• To work with the Membership Secretary to advise Council on matters relevant to membership and Chartership

Membership Composition & Criteria
Chair
Deputy Chair: Membership Secretary
Co-opted members as appropriate

Reports to Council
Meets monthly
One year term
Minutes taken by member of the Committee

Contact: MQCC@psychologicalsociety.ie

Purpose & Objectives
To oversee all PSI communications, internal and external, written, verbal and electronic.

To identify, organise and promote events.

More specifically to:

• Promote the activities and brand of the PSI.
• Develop communication guidelines for all members and spokespersons.
• To comment on issues of public importance as they relate to psychology.
• To utilise all forms of communication media to promote the vision and strategic objectives of the Society.
• To raise public awareness of psychology and psychological well-being.

Membership Composition & Criteria
Head of Communications
CEO*
Two Council members**
Up to a maximum of five other PSI members

*The CEO’s presence on the Committee is optional
**The option of the Past President and President Elect joining the Committee is open, but not mandatory, and will be supernumerary to the existing compliment

Purpose & Objectives

The purpose of the Committee is to oversee the resources: people and finance of the Society. While the Chief Executive Officer will have day-to-day responsibility for the people and financial management, the Committee will more specifically:

● Regularly review the financial status of the Society.
● Receive appropriate input from the Society’s auditor.
● Ensure accurate systems for monitoring and accounting of funds for budgeting and planning purposes are in place and to report to Council on any financial irregularities and concerns.
● Oversee short and long-term investments on behalf of Council.
● Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and that legal and corporate obligations are properly fulfilled by due dates.
● Ensure that all people and organisation policies and procedures are in place.

The Resources Group members include the President, President-elect, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, the PSI CEO (in an ex-officio capacity), and additional co-optees as required.

Purpose & Objectives

• To promote scientific knowledge and evidence-based psychology
• To inform public policy
• To translate psychological knowledge for the benefit of society
• To promote the exchange of ideas
• To challenge inaccurate representation of psychological research/knowledge

Contact: sppc@psychologicalsociety.ie 

Purpose & Objectives
The SCC, working alongside PSI staff members, is central to the organisation of the PSI Annual Conference. Objectives include, but are not limited to:

• Working within the budget approved for each annual event.
• Identifying potential locations, venues, and virtual service providers (if necessary) for PSI Annual Conferences.
• Identifying keynote speakers and pre-conference workshop presenters.
• Ensuring promotion of the Annual Conference throughout the PSI membership and other international psychological societies/associations.
• Assisting with the abstract review process and award judging.
• Developing a comprehensive and robust Conference programme.
• Setting delegate registration rates.
• Ensuring the Annual Conference provides a forum for exchange of ideas among interested practitioners, researchers, academics, and students in the field of psychology.

Membership Composition & Criteria
The PSI Annual Conference Committee comprises of the following voting members:

• A maximum of five PSI members, one of which will be elected as chair, for a one-year term, by the SCC members.
• PSI Head of Communications.
• PSI Events Coordinator.

Contact: conference@psychologicalsociety.ie 

Purpose & Objectives

The purpose of the Undergraduate Accreditation Committee (UAC) is to oversee the standard and quality of all undergraduate programmes run by third level institutions in the state. The UAC’s objectives are to reassure students undertaking an undergraduate course that their qualifications will be recognised by the PSI.

Accreditation panels for individual courses will be selected from the members of the UAC. An accreditation panel for an undergraduate programme is to consist of three members of the UAC from which a liaison will be chosen for that accreditation review and is responsible for ensuring that the accreditation review is following the Undergraduate Accreditation Process.

The Undergraduate Accreditation Committee will regularly review the Undergraduate Guidelines to make sure that they are up to date and are in line with international standards and will notify Council when it is appropriate for the guidelines to be updated.

Purpose & Objectives

The purpose of the Postgraduate Accreditation Committee (PAC) is to provide strategic leadership and oversight for postgraduate accreditation matters that fall outside the scope of active accreditation panels.

The committee will provide support and advice to courses prior to and in between accreditation processes which involve panels. (It will advise Council on adaptations to course procedures which may need to be made in the case of national emergencies.)

The committee will regularly review postgraduate accreditation guidelines to make sure that they are up to date and are in line with international standards and will notify Council when it is appropriate for the guidelines to be updated. The committee will liaise with, provide support to, and give strategic oversight for Divisions looking to update their accreditation criteria.

Purpose & Objectives

Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

The Expert Validation Committee (EVC) supports the Department of Health Validation Unit in assessing Psychology qualifications which are assessed under the general system of Directive 2005/36/EC. It provides for an assessment on a case-by-case basis of the qualifications of an applicant against those required to practise in the host member state if the professional activities covered are comparable.

Purpose & Objectives

Support and Guidance

• Act as support to International Liaison Officer (ILO);
• Provide guidance on international related issues to Council;
• Offer a space for PSI’s international representatives (i.e. EFPA and IUPsyS) to feedback their work and the focus of our European and international partners;
• Provide support to DIVs and SIGs on their internationally focused work.

Creation and Updates of PSI Resources

• Time of War Resources, immigration and emigration, and other related issues that emerge throughout the mandate;
• Draft the PSI’s response to significant international events in consultation with SIGs and DIVs where necessary;
• Responding to queries, positions, issues of PSI’s stance;
• Exploration of updating/adapting existing international bodies' work to suit an Irish context.

Optimising PSI’s Voice in International Groups

• Recognition of Ireland’s increasing presence and role in the international community;
• Develop inclusive psychological interventions to address needs of the expanding multicultural community in Ireland;
• Ensuring evidence-based approaches while acknowledging the diversity of perspectives;
• Identification of strategies to maximize PSI’s influence in international groups such as IUPsyS and EFPA

The purposes and objectives outlines the key activities and considerations for the International Affairs Committee to fulfil its purpose effectively and contribute meaningfully to international psychological discourse and action.

Membership Composition & Criteria
The membership of the committee is based on consideration of PSI membership expertise, specialist input, Committees, Divisions and SIGs, Council/Governance representation and PSI staff input. The Group is initially made up of:

International Liaison Officer (Chair)
Honorary Secretary
Membership Secretary
Liaisons/representatives of PSI on international organisations (i.e. EFPA, IUPsyS)
SIG Human Rights & Psychology Representative
SIG Ethnic Minorities Representative
SIG Trauma & Adversity Representative
PSI members active in international roles and/or with considerable international expertise
PSI CEO & Support Staff

This information is currently being updated.