Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

When we published the amendments yesterday, we became aware of the fact that we might be excluding some companies which had made the decision to wind up but had not discharged their liabilities. However, following an amendment I tabled yesterday, the Bill before the Seanad includes the provision Senator Hannigan seeks. The Bill now reads: "or had wound up and had not discharged any of the liabilities of the scheme at the date of the passing of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2009". If a company had already made the decision to wind up but had not yet got to the stage of going to the market, for example, to purchase the annuities, it is covered, provided it is an insolvent company and there is a funding deficit.