While the IOPCF working group is continuing its examination, its deliberations led to the adoption of a protocol to the fund convention in May 2003 at the International Maritime Organisation. The protocol provides for the establishment of a supplementary compensation fund which will further increase the amount of compensation payable to victims to 750 million SDR, or approximately €1 billion. The Committee Stage amendments which I propose to introduce provide for the protocol to have effect in Irish law.