Seanad amendment No. 216:Section 147: In page 121, before section 147, but in Part 5, to insert the following new section:“CHAPTER 3 Accounts and Related Matters161.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Insolvency Service may make regulations providing for any of the following matters:(a) the kind or kinds of accounts at banks authorised to carry on business in the State which may be opened and kept by a personal insolvency practitioner for the keeping of moneys received from debtors; (b) the opening and keeping of such accounts by a personal insolvency practitioner and in particular the keeping of moneys received from or for the credit of or on behalf of debtors in a client account maintained specifically for that purpose; (c) the rights, duties and responsibilities of a personal insolvency practitioner in respect of moneys received from debtors, including the transmission of such moneys to creditors and the deduction of fees, charges and outlays due to the personal insolvency practitioner; (d) the receipts or statements to be issued by a personal insolvency practitioner in respect of moneys received from debtors; (e) the accounting records to be maintained by a personal insolvency practitioner, including the minimum period or periods for which accounting records shall be retained by a personal insolvency practitioner during the period of, and following the conclusion of, Debt Settlement Arrangements or Personal Insolvency Arrangements and the manner in which the lodgement into bank accounts of any moneys received from debtors shall be recorded in the accounting records; (f) the accounting records to be maintained by a personal insolvency practitioner containing particulars of and information as to moneys received, held, controlled or paid by the personal insolvency practitioner in connection with Debt Settlement Arrangements or Personal Insolvency Arrangements; (g) the circumstances and manner in which a personal insolvency practitioner (or a duly qualified accountant on behalf of the personal insolvency practitioner) verifies compliance with the regulations, including the frequency of doing so; (h) the examination by an auditor or an accountant who is a member of a body prescribed for the purposes of this section, at intervals prescribed by the regulations, of accounting records maintained by a personal insolvency practitioner under regulations made under paragraphs (e) and (f) and for the making of reports to the Insolvency Service of such matters relating to the keeping of accounts and holding of moneys received from debtors as may be prescribed and such reports shall be in such form as may be prescribed; (i) the enforcement by the Insolvency Service of compliance with the regulations; (j) the imposition of fees on a personal insolvency practitioner in cases of non-compliance where the Insolvency Service, by reason of such noncompliance has determined that further enquiries should be carried out (such fees not exceeding the cost of conducting such enquiries); (k) the examination, by or on behalf of the Insolvency Service, of the financial circumstances of a personal insolvency practitioner in so far as such circumstances could affect his or her capacity to carry out the functions of a personal insolvency practitioner.(2) The Insolvency Service shall, in making regulations under this section, have regard to the need to protect debtors and creditors who are or may become parties to Debt Settlement Arrangements or Personal Insolvency Arrangements.”.

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