One important service that ICOS offers is to take groups through the different steps involved in incorporating their business as a co-operative.

ICOS has many years of specialist experience in this activity and can provide you with all the advice and information that you need.

• A minimum of seven persons is required to incorporate a co-operative society.
  
  
• These seven people, together with a Secretary (who may also be one of the seven), must sign two sets of Model Rules and an application form for registration.
  
  
• A suitable name must be chosen for the co-operative and the name must include the word 'Society' and 'Limited'. 
  
  
• A registered office for the proposed co-operative must be identified to which all correspondence can be sent.
  
  
• Two sets of model rules (available on this site and copyright to ICOS Ltd.) and an application form (available via e-mail from ICOS) must be signed and returned, with a registration fee to the ICOS Head Office, which will in turn submit them to the Registry of Friendly Societies.
  
  
• Co-operative societies of all types are incorporated by being registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1893-1978. Registration normally takes up to six weeks.
  
  
• Once registration is complete, one original copy of the Rules and Certificate of Incorporation is kept by the Registry and the other is sent to ICOS, which retains it for safe keeping. Two photocopies will be sent to the Society immediately after registration. The original is, of course, available from ICOS for examination by banks or others wishing to do so.

When applying for co-operative status, it is important to ensure that you apply for the correct category of society.

On this website we have the Model Rules required for the establishment of Group Water Schemes and Rural Development Co-operatives (Gaeltacht, Wind Energy, Rural Tourism, Community Development).

ICOS also has extensive experience in customising rules for a variety of other rural co-operatives such as Dairy, Livestock Marts, Breeding, Fishing, Shell Fish and Pig co-ops.

If you have any questions in relation to setting up your co-operative, or if you wish to customise a set of rules, please contact Yvonne Murphy, Administrator to the Secretariat, 01 6764783 / yvonne.murphy@icos.ie who will be able to assist you.