Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009

Type Act
Publication 2009-06-26
Last updated 2025-04-04
State In force superseded text
Text As published
PDF Download
articles 21

This is the act as published. Later amendments are not folded into the text below: each one is a separate act in this repository and an entry in this law's history.

3 amending acts · 2025-04-04, S.I. No. 105/2025 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Trans…

Act to provide for the continuation of certain direct debit mandates after the coming into operation of the Single European Payments Area Direct Debit Scheme; to provide for the transfer of the assets of certain pension funds to the National Pensions Reserve Fund, and the continued payment of benefits formerly payable from those funds; to make provision in relation to the giving of certain guarantees by the Minister for Finance; to amend the Central Bank Act 1989 to clarify its application to certain acquiring transactions; to amend the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008 to allow the extension of the period in which financial support under that Act can be provided; to amend the Insurance (No. 2) Act 1983 and the Insurance Act 1989 in relation to life insurance and reinsurance; to amend the Netting of Financial Contracts Act 1995 to clarify whether certain persons are parties to a netting agreement; to amend the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 in relation to the taxation position of the National Pensions Reserve Commission in relation to certain assets transferred from pension funds to the National Pensions Reserve Fund; and to provide for related purposes

Reform history JSON API

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTINUATION OF CERTAIN DIRECT DEBIT MANDATES AFTER THE COMING INTO OPERATION OF THE SINGLE EUROPEAN PAYMENTS AREA DIRECT DEBIT SCHEME, TO PROVIDE FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE ASSETS OF CERTAIN PENSION FUNDS TO THE NATIONAL PENSIONS RESERVE FUND, AND THE CONTINUED PAYMENT OF BENEFITS FORMERLY PAYABLE FROM THOSE FUNDS, TO MAKE PROVISION IN RELATION TO THE GIVING OF CERTAIN GUARANTEES BY THE MINISTER FOR FINANCE, TO AMEND THE CENTRAL BANK ACT 1989 SO AS TO CLARIFY ITS APPLICATION TO CERTAIN ACQUIRING TRANSACTIONS, TO AMEND THE CREDIT INSTITUTIONS (FINANCIAL SUPPORT) ACT 2008 SO AS TO ALLOW THE EXTENSION OF THE PERIOD IN WHICH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THAT ACT CAN BE PROVIDED, TO AMEND THE INSURANCE (NO. 2) ACT 1983 AND THE INSURANCE ACT 1989 IN RELATION TO LIFE INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE, TO AMEND THE NETTING OF FINANCIAL CONTRACTS ACT 1995 SO AS TO CLARIFY WHETHER CERTAIN PERSONS ARE PARTIES TO A NETTING AGREEMENT, TO AMEND THE TAXES CONSOLIDATION ACT 1997 IN RELATION TO THE TAXATION POSITION OF THE NATIONAL PENSIONS RESERVE FUND COMMISSION IN RELATION TO CERTAIN ASSETS TRANSFERRED FROM PENSION FUNDS TO THE NATIONAL PENSIONS RESERVE FUND, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED PURPOSES;

[26th June, 2009]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

PART 1 Preliminary and General

1. Short title.

1.— This Act may be cited as the Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

PART 2 Direct Debit Instructions and Mandates

2. Continuation of certain direct debit instructions.

2.— (1) The Minister for Finance may make regulations providing for direct debit instructions to continue to operate as direct debit mandates after the SEPA Scheme comes into operation.

“ direct debit instruction” means—

“ direct debit mandate” means a mandate, within the meaning given by the Scheme Rulebook;

“ originator” means the person in whose favour a direct debit instruction or direct debit mandate has been given;

“ Scheme Rulebook” means the SEPA Core Direct Debit Scheme Rulebook Version 3.3 approved by the European Payments Council on 31 March 2009, or any later version of that Rulebook approved by that Council;

“SEPA Scheme” means the SEPA Core Direct Debit Scheme set out in the Scheme Rulebook.

PART 3 Transfer of Assets of Certain Pension Funds to National Pensions Reserve Fund

3. Interpretation (Part 3).

3.— (1) In this Part:

“Act of 1990” means the Pensions Act 1990;

“Act of 2000” means the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000;

“ additional voluntary contributions” has the same meaning as in the Act of 1990;

“ assets” shall be construed in accordance with subsection (2);

“ benefits” includes pensions, gratuities and any other allowances payable under a relevant pension scheme;

“ the Commission” means the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission;

“ covered other pension fund” means a pension fund referred to in column A of Part 2 of Schedule 1;

“ covered pension fund” means a covered other pension fund or a covered university pension fund;

“ covered university pension fund” means a pension fund referred to in column A of Part 1 of Schedule 1;

“ relevant body” , in relation to a covered pension fund and the relevant pension scheme for the fund, means the body specified for the relevant covered pension fund in column B of the relevant item in Schedule 1;

“ relevant Minister” means—

“relevant pension scheme”, in relation to a covered pension fund, has the meaning given by section 4;

“Reserve Fund” means the National Pensions Reserve Fund established by the Act of 2000;

“transfer order” means an order made under section 5 (1);

“ university pension scheme” means the relevant pension scheme in relation to a covered university pension fund.

but does not include any assets identified by the fund as being held for the purposes of a defined contribution scheme (within the meaning of the Act of 1990) financed by additional voluntary contributions.

4. References to “relevant pension scheme”.

4.— (1) In this Part, a reference to the relevant pension scheme in relation to a covered pension fund is a reference—

5. Transfer orders.

5.— (1) The Minister for Finance where that Minister is the relevant Minister in relation to a covered pension fund, and in any other case the relevant Minister in relation to the covered pension fund concerned acting with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may make a transfer order in relation to the fund.

to the extent that he or she considers necessary or reasonable in the circumstances.

6. Effect of transfer order on assets of funds.

6.— (1) On the date of effect of a transfer order in relation to a covered pension fund, the assets of the fund are by virtue of this section transferred to the Reserve Fund, and thereafter form part of the assets of that Fund.

7. Relevant pension scheme to continue after making of transfer order.

7.— (1) Where a transfer order has been made in relation to a covered pension fund, the relevant pension scheme continues to operate, subject to this Part, on and after the coming into effect of the order.

8. Transfer of assets under transfer order.

8.— (1) The transfer of an asset under a transfer order is not subject to any form of taxation.

9. Application of certain other Acts.

9.— (1) A transfer order has effect for the purposes of this Part notwithstanding anything in the Act of 1990.

10. Value of assets transferred to be offset against contributions to Reserve Fund.

10.— (1) Where a transfer order has been made in relation to a covered pension fund, the value of the assets transferred pursuant to the order shall be taken to be in satisfaction or part-satisfaction, as the case requires, of the obligation of the Minister for Finance under section 18(2) of the Act of 2000 to make contributions to the Reserve Fund in the current year.

11. Exercise of discretions under relevant pension scheme after making of transfer order.

11.— (1) If before the coming into effect of a transfer order in relation to a covered pension fund a provision of the relevant pension scheme conferred a discretion in relation to one or more members’ rights or benefits, the provision continues in effect after the coming into effect of the order, but the discretion is to be exercised, where the Minister for Finance is the relevant Minister in relation to the scheme, by that Minister, and in any other case by the relevant Minister in relation to the scheme and the Minister for Finance acting jointly.

12. Continuation of scheme regarding obligations and benefits.

12.— (1) After a transfer order has been made in relation to a covered pension fund, the relevant pension scheme has effect, in relation to the making of contributions by members and the employers concerned and in relation to benefits, in accordance with subsections (2) to (5).

to be paid into or disposed of for the benefit of the Exchequer in accordance with the directions of the Minister for Finance or otherwise paid or disposed of as that Minister may direct.

13. Changes in rules of covered pension schemes.

13.— (1) Section 25(7) of the Universities Act 1997 and the Fifth Schedule to that Act continue to apply in relation to a relevant pension scheme that is a university pension scheme after a transfer order is made in relation to the relevant covered pension fund, but that section and Schedule are not to be taken to authorise the amendment of the order.

14. Complaints and disputes.

14.— (1) Nothing in this Part or in any transfer order affects the jurisdiction of the Pensions Ombudsman established by section 127 of the Act of 1990 to investigate and determine a complaint or dispute in relation to the relevant pension scheme.

PART 4 Guarantees by Minister for Finance

15. Construction of certain provisions when Minister for Finance guarantees non-equity securities, etc.

15.— (1) A reference to a guarantor in paragraph 3(2)(e) of Schedule 1 to the Prospectus (Directive 2003/71/EC) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 324 of 2005) shall be taken not to include the Minister for Finance.

PART 5 Amendments of other Acts

16. Amendment of the Central Bank Act 1989.

16.— The Central Bank Act 1989 is amended as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2.

17. Amendment of the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008.

17.— (1) The Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008 is amended as set out in Part 2 of Schedule 2.

18. Amendment of the Insurance (No. 2) Act 1983.

18.— The Insurance (No. 2) Act 1983 is amended as set out in Part 3 of Schedule 2.

19. Amendment of Insurance Act 1989.

19.— The Insurance Act 1989 is amended as set out in Part 4 of Schedule 2.

20. Amendment of Netting of Financial Contracts Act 1995.

20.— The Netting of Financial Contracts Act 1995 is amended as set out in Part 5 of Schedule 2.

21. Amendment of Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

21.— The Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is amended as set out in Part 6 of Schedule 2.

SCHEDULE 1 Covered Pension Funds

PART 1 University Pension Funds

Column A Fund Column B Body
University of Dublin Trinity College Pension Fund University of Dublin Trinity College
University College Dublin Pension Fund University College Dublin
University College Cork Pension Funds University College Cork
The Joint Pension Fund, National University of Ireland, Galway National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Maynooth Pension Plan National University of Ireland, Maynooth
National University of Ireland General Pension Scheme Fund National University of Ireland

PART 2 Other Pension funds

Column A Fund Column B Body Column C Relevant Minister
Industrial Development Authority Superannuation Fund Forfás Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited Superannuation Fund SFADCo Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (Closed) Superannuation Scheme Fund FÁS Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Irish Goods Council Pension Fund Forfás Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
An Bord Bia Superannuation Fund An Bord Bia Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Arts Council Pension Fund Arts Council Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Regional Tourism Pension Scheme Fund Fáilte Ireland Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Fáilte Ireland Contributory Pension and Death Benefits Scheme (formerly known as CERT) Fáilte Ireland Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
The Institute of Public Administration Superannuation Fund The Institute of Public Administration Minister for Finance
The Economic and Social Research Institute Pension Plan The Economic and Social Research Institute Minister for Finance
The Economic and Social Research Institute Superannuation Plan The Economic and Social Research Institute Minister for Finance

SCHEDULE 2 Amendments of Other Acts

PART 1 Amendment of the Central Bank Act 1989

Item Provision amended Amendment
1 Section 75(1) Substitute: “(1) Subject to subsections (1A) and (1B), this Chapter applies to an acquisition by a person or more than one person acting in concert of shares or other interest in a holder of a licence. (1A) This Chapter does not apply to an acquisition if— (a) after the acquisition the proportion of shares in the licence holder held by the acquiring person or persons would not exceed the prescribed percentage, and (b) where the licence holder concerned is a body incorporated in the State, the acquisition, together with any other interest in the licence holder already held or controlled (directly or indirectly) by the acquiring person or persons, would not confer a right to appoint or remove some or all of the board of directors or committee of management of the licence holder. (1B) This Chapter does not apply to an acquisition that is subject to notification and prudential assessment under the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 395 of 1992). (1C) An acquisition to which this Chapter applies is referred to in this Chapter as an ‘acquiring transaction’.”.

PART 2 Amendment of the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008

Item Provision amended Amendment
1 Section 6(1) After “the relevant date,” insert “and in accordance with this section,”.
2 Section 6(3) Substitute: “(3) Financial support provided under this section shall not continue beyond— (a) 29 September 2010, or (b) a later date specified by the Minister by order. (3A) The Minister may specify a date under subsection (3)(b) if and only if— (a) he or she is satisfied, after consulting the Governor and the Regulatory Authority, that the circumstances set out in section 2 exist and are likely to continue to exist until the date to be specified, and (b) he or she is satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest that assistance continue to be provided under this section until that date. (3B) The Minister may specify by order a period or periods during which credit institutions may incur borrowings, liabilities and obligations in respect of which financial support may be provided under this section.”.
3 Section 6 After section 6(19), insert: “(20) In the event of there being any doubt or uncertainty over whether financial support provided or proposed to be provided in respect of a borrowing, liability or obligation of a credit institution or subsidiary may be provided under this section, the Minister may determine the matter. The Minister’s determination is conclusive.”.

PART 3 Amendment of the Insurance (No. 2) Act 1983

Item Provision amended Amendment
1 Section 1(1), definition of “ ‘authorisation’ and ‘non-life insurance’ ” Delete.
2 Section 1(1), definition of “the business” Substitute: “ ‘the business’ in relation to an insurer or reinsurer includes the business of managing investments and assets held by the insurer or reinsurer;”.
3 Section 1(1), definition of “ ‘insurer’ and ‘policy’ ” Substitute: “ ‘insurance business’ means non-life business or life business; ‘insurer’ means the holder of an authorisation issued by the Bank under— (a) the Non-Life Insurance Regulations, (b) the Life Assurance Regulations, (c) the Non-Life Insurance Framework Regulations, or (d) the Life Assurance Framework Regulations, to carry on a class or description of insurance business; ‘Life Assurance Framework Regulations’ means the European Communities (Life Assurance) Framework Regulations 1994 (S.I. No. 360 of 1994); ‘Life Assurance Regulations’ means the European Communities (Life Assurance) Regulations 1984 (S.I. No. 57 of 1984);”.
4 Section 1(1), definition of “policyholder” Substitute: “ ‘Non-Life Insurance Framework Regulations’ means the European Communities (Non-Life Insurance) Framework Regulations 1994 (S.I. No. 359 of 1994); ‘Non-Life Insurance Regulations’ means the European Communities (Non-Life Insurance) Regulations 1976 (S.I. No. 115 of 1976); ‘policy’ means a document or other writing by which a contract— (a) of non-life insurance (within the meaning of the Non-Life Insurance Regulations or the Non-Life Insurance Framework Regulations) or life insurance (within the meaning of the Life Assurance Regulations or the Life Assurance Framework Regulations), or (b) of reinsurance (within the meaning of the Reinsurance Regulations), is made or agreed to be made or that is evidence of such a contract; ‘policyholder’, in relation to an insurer or a reinsurer, means a person (other than the issuing insurer or reinsurer) who is a party to a policy issued by the insurer or reinsurer;”.
5 Section 1(1), definition of “the Regulations” Substitute: “ ‘the Reinsurance Regulations’ means the European Communities (Reinsurance) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 380 of 2006); ‘reinsurer’ means the holder of an authorisation under the Reinsurance Regulations; ‘the supervisory Regulations’ means— (a) the Life Assurance Regulations, (b) the Non-Life Insurance Regulations, (c) the Reinsurance Regulations, (d) the Non-Life Insurance Framework Regulations, (e) the Life Assurance Framework Regulations, and (f) the European Communities (Insurance and Reinsurance Groups Supplementary Supervision) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 366 of 2007).”.
6 Section 1 Insert after subsection (2): “(3) Unless the contrary intention appears, a reference in sections 2 to 6 of this Act to an insurer includes a reinsurer.”.
7 Section 2(2)(a)(iii) Substitute “the supervisory Regulations” for “the Regulations”.
8 Section 2(2)(b) Substitute “insurance business or reinsurance business” for “non-life insurance business”.
9 Section 2(8) Substitute: “(8) In proceedings upon a petition presented under this Act, evidence that the matters set out in subsection (2)(a) pertained in relation to an insurer at the close of the period to which the latest returns of the insurer to the Bank under— (a) the Insurance Acts 1909 to 2000, (b) the supervisory Regulations, or (c) the European Communities (Non-Life Insurance Accounts) Regulations 1995 (S.I. No. 202 of 1995), relate, or on any later date, shall be evidence that such matters pertain in relation to the insurer at the time of the hearing of the proceedings.”.
10 After section 2, insert:
“Administrator’s power of sale, etc. 2A.—(1) An administrator appointed under section 2 has, and shall be deemed always to have had, power to dispose of all or any part of the business, undertaking or assets of the insurer concerned and to carry on any remaining business including the settlement of liabilities, with a view to the orderly completion of the administration. (2) Where such an administrator appointed before 20 March 1989 has disposed of all or any part of the business, undertaking or assets of an insurer authorised under the Non-Life Insurance Regulations, there may, with the approval of the court, be paid out of the Fund to the administrator such amounts as are, in the opinion of the court, required to enable the administrator to continue the administration with a view to its completion in an orderly manner.”.
11 Section 4 Substitute “insurance business or reinsurance business” for “non-life insurance business”.
12 Section 6 Substitute “insurance business or reinsurance business” for “non-life insurance business”.

PART 4 Amendment of the Insurance Act 1989

Item Provision amended Amendment
1 Section 33 Delete.

PART 5 Amendment of the Netting of Financial Contracts Act 1995

Item Provision amended Amendment
1 Section 1, definition of “party” Substitute: “ ‘party’ has the meaning given in section 1A;”.
2 After section 1, insert:
“Meaning of ‘party’. 1A.—(1) In this Act, ‘party’ means, subject to subsections (2) and (3), a person constituting one of the parties to an agreement. (2) In this Act ‘party’ includes, and shall be deemed always to have included— (a) any number of persons who share a single, identical interest in the agreement referred to subsequently in this definition if there is no differentiation in the rights and obligations of each of them in that agreement, (b) the partners in a partnership or limited partnership, including any limited partnership established under the Investment Limited Partnerships Act 1994 or the Limited Partnerships Act 1907, and (c) the participants in— (i) a common contractual fund authorised pursuant to the Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2005, the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 211 of 2003) or the laws of a Member State (other than the State) adopted to implement Council Directive No. 85/611/EEC of 20 December 1985 1 as amended, or (ii) a sub-fund of a common contractual fund referred to in subparagraph (i), (whether or not the fund is acting through a manager or a delegate of a manager), in circumstances where any of such persons or such partners (acting in their capacity as such) or such fund or sub-fund enters into an agreement. (3) In this Act ‘party’ does not include, and shall be deemed never to have included, any person in whose favour a party to an agreement has created any interest by way of security in any of the party’s rights, title and interest in and to that agreement.”.

PART 6 Amendment of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997

Item Provision amended Amendment
1 Section 230A Insert “the National Pensions Reserve Fund,” before “the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission or”.
2 Section 730D(2)(b) Substitute “section 730E(3),” for “section 730E(3), or”.
3 Section 730D(2)(c) Substitute “section 730E(3A),” for “section 730E(3A).”.
4 Section 730D(2) After section 730D(2)(c), insert: “(d) where the life policy is an asset held by the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission or the State acting through that Commission, and that Commission has made a declaration to that effect to the assurance company, or (e) where the life policy is an asset held by a Commission investment vehicle (within the meaning given by section 2 of the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 (as amended by section 2 of the Investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2009)) or the State acting through a Commission investment vehicle and the Commission investment vehicle has made a declaration to that effect to the assurance company.”.
5 Schedule 15, Part 1 Insert after paragraph 34A: “34B. The National Pensions Reserve Fund.”.

Footnotes

1

OJ L375, 31/12/1985, p.3.

This document does not substitute the official text published in the Irish Statute Book. We accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies arising from the transcription of the original into this format.

This text is published under Irish Statute Book's own terms of reuse, not a Legalize or public-domain licence. Irish Statute Book
CC-BY 4.0 (Oireachtas Open Data PSI Licence)
Contains Irish Public Sector Information licensed under the Oireachtas (Houses of the Oireachtas) Open Data PSI Licence / Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, sourced from https://www.irishstatutebook.ie.