Brendan Burgess
Founder
- Messages
- 52,122
This seems to be straightforward enough and strikes a fair balance.
Bankruptcy reduced to 3 years
- Thread starter Brendan Burgess
- Start date
Brendan Burgess
Founder
- Messages
- 52,122
[FONT="]Bankruptcy
[/FONT][FONT="]The Bill (in Part 6) provides for a number of amendments to the Bankruptcy Act 1988 to provide for a more enlightened, less punitive and costly approach to bankruptcy. These amendments will continue the reform of bankruptcy law begun in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The main elements of the bankruptcy reforms include the following:
· The introduction of a minimum debt amount of €20,001 in respect of a creditor petition for bankruptcy;
· The automatic discharge period from bankruptcy (subject to certain conditions) is reduced from the current 12 years to 3 years after the date of adjudication*;
· The discharge from bankruptcy could be delayed by the court, up to a maximum of 8 years, for non-compliance, fraudulent or dishonest behaviour by the bankrupt during the process;
· Full disclosure and realisation of all the bankrupt’s assets and interests would be required for the benefit of creditors, etc;
· Provision for a court to make a payment order requiring the discharged bankrupt to make certain payments in favour of creditors, allowing for reasonable living expenses, for a period of up to five years
· Extended timeframes in regard to possible fraudulent transfers or settlements of assets by the applicant for bankruptcy.[/FONT]
[FONT="]*With regard to the reduced period for automatic discharge from bankruptcy, in addition to any existing technical and other conditions contained in the 1988 Bankruptcy Act, the following new provisions contained in the Scheme of the Bill would also apply:[/FONT]
[FONT="]- in new section 85(4) (Automatic discharge from bankruptcy) that the bankrupt shall after discharge from bankruptcy have a duty to cooperate with the Official Assignee in the realisation and distribution of such of his or her property as is vested in the Official Assignee.[/FONT]
[FONT="]- in new section 85A (Objection to automatic discharge from bankruptcy) that the Official Assignee or a personal insolvency trustee shall have an explicit power to object to the discharge of a person from bankruptcy. The primary grounds for such objection are evidence as to the bankrupt’s lack of cooperation, dishonesty or other wrongful conduct. The court, if satisfied, as to the evidence may suspend the discharge pending further investigation or extend the period before discharge of the bankrupt up to a maximum of 8 years.[/FONT]
[FONT="](It should be noted that there are no prohibitions contained in the Bankruptcy Act 1988 with regard to restrictions on the nature of employment or profession of a person adjudicated bankrupt. Such prohibitions, where they exist, are contained in sectoral legislation, e.g. in the Electoral Acts in regard to membership of Dáil Eireann or in contracts of employment, e.g. in the legal profession).[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT="]The Bill (in Part 6) provides for a number of amendments to the Bankruptcy Act 1988 to provide for a more enlightened, less punitive and costly approach to bankruptcy. These amendments will continue the reform of bankruptcy law begun in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The main elements of the bankruptcy reforms include the following:
· The introduction of a minimum debt amount of €20,001 in respect of a creditor petition for bankruptcy;
· The automatic discharge period from bankruptcy (subject to certain conditions) is reduced from the current 12 years to 3 years after the date of adjudication*;
· The discharge from bankruptcy could be delayed by the court, up to a maximum of 8 years, for non-compliance, fraudulent or dishonest behaviour by the bankrupt during the process;
· Full disclosure and realisation of all the bankrupt’s assets and interests would be required for the benefit of creditors, etc;
· Provision for a court to make a payment order requiring the discharged bankrupt to make certain payments in favour of creditors, allowing for reasonable living expenses, for a period of up to five years
· Extended timeframes in regard to possible fraudulent transfers or settlements of assets by the applicant for bankruptcy.[/FONT]
[FONT="]*With regard to the reduced period for automatic discharge from bankruptcy, in addition to any existing technical and other conditions contained in the 1988 Bankruptcy Act, the following new provisions contained in the Scheme of the Bill would also apply:[/FONT]
[FONT="]- in new section 85(4) (Automatic discharge from bankruptcy) that the bankrupt shall after discharge from bankruptcy have a duty to cooperate with the Official Assignee in the realisation and distribution of such of his or her property as is vested in the Official Assignee.[/FONT]
[FONT="]- in new section 85A (Objection to automatic discharge from bankruptcy) that the Official Assignee or a personal insolvency trustee shall have an explicit power to object to the discharge of a person from bankruptcy. The primary grounds for such objection are evidence as to the bankrupt’s lack of cooperation, dishonesty or other wrongful conduct. The court, if satisfied, as to the evidence may suspend the discharge pending further investigation or extend the period before discharge of the bankrupt up to a maximum of 8 years.[/FONT]
[FONT="](It should be noted that there are no prohibitions contained in the Bankruptcy Act 1988 with regard to restrictions on the nature of employment or profession of a person adjudicated bankrupt. Such prohibitions, where they exist, are contained in sectoral legislation, e.g. in the Electoral Acts in regard to membership of Dáil Eireann or in contracts of employment, e.g. in the legal profession).[/FONT]