Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2013
534. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of personal insolvency practitioners who are currently authorised in the State to provide services pursuant to the Personal Insolvency Act 2012. [24126/13]
View answer535. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a plan or target for end of June 2013 for the number of personal insolvency practitioners authorised in the State to provide services pursuant to the Personal Insolvency Act 2012; and if so, the way such targets will be achieved and the way targets are monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24127/13]
View answer536. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 24 April, 2013 if he will estimate the number of personal insolvency practitioners required to service 15,000 personal insolvency applications, 3,000 to 4,000 applications for debt relief notices and 3,000 bankruptcy applications in a 12 month period. [24128/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 534 to 536, inclusive, together.
As I indicated in my reply to Question No. 204 of 24 April 2013, it is difficult to ascertain the likely demand on the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI). There are currently no persons authorised to practice in the State as personal insolvency practitioners (PIPs). The public will be informed in advance when the ISI are ready to process such applications, which it is anticipated will be in the coming weeks. I am advised by the ISI that there are currently no target for the number of PIPs, and the numbers authorised will very much depend on the interest of persons wishing to become PIPs. However, I can inform the Deputy that, of the over 1,200 telephone and email contacts which the ISI has received since it launched its Information Campaign, almost one third of these were from persons interested in becoming PIPs. In order to apply to become a PIP, an applicant must be a solicitor, barrister, a qualified accountant, a qualified financial advisor, or must hold a qualification in either law, business, finance or other appropriate similar qualification to the satisfaction of the ISI recognised to at least level 7 of the National Qualifications Framework. All potential applicants, in addition to their existing professional qualifications, will have to demonstrate evidence of the applicant's satisfactory knowledge of the provisions of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 and the law generally as it applies to the insolvency of individuals and in particular statutory provisions relating to such persons. I am advised by the ISI that the professional bodies, such as the Law Society, the Institute of Bankers and the accountancy bodies have begun relevant training courses. Interest in these courses has been high, and I understand that some bodies will be running more courses in the coming months.
