1. — (1) This Act may be cited as the Central Bank Act, 1997.

(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as may be appointed by order or orders made by the Minister, either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision, and different days may be appointed for different purposes and different provisions of this Act.

(3) This Act, other than sections 3, 36 to 49, 60, 64 to 68, 78 to 83 and 85 and the Central Bank Acts, 1942 to 1989, shall be construed together as one Act and may be cited together as the Central Bank Acts, 1942 to 1997.

2. — (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“the Act of 1942” means the Central Bank Act, 1942;

“the Act of 1971” means the Central Bank Act, 1971;

“the Act of 1989” means the Central Bank Act, 1989;

F1[‘Bank’ means the Central Bank F2[…] of Ireland;]

F3[‘Central Bank Acts’ means the Central Bank Act 1942 as amended from time to time, and includes all Acts that are to be construed together with that Act as one Act;]

‘contravene’ includes fail to comply;

“the Court” means the High Court;

“credit institution” has the meaning assigned to it by the Regulations of 1992;

F3[‘designated enactment’ means an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Central Bank Act 1942;]

F3[‘designated statutory instrument’ means a statutory instrument specified in Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the Central Bank Act 1942;]

F3[‘EEA country’ means a country that is a member of the European Economic Area;]

“enactment” means any Act or instrument made thereunder;

“financial institution” means an undertaking other than a credit institution providing any one or more of the financial services set out in the Schedule to the Regulations of 1992;

“insurance undertaking” has the meaning assigned to it by the Insurance Act, 1989;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Finance;

“mortgage lender” means a credit institution or other person whose business includes the making of housing loans where “ housing loan ” means an agreement for credit on the security of a mortgage of a freehold or leasehold estate or interest in a house where—

(a) the loan is made for the purpose of enabling the borrower to provide or improve the house or to purchase the said estate or interest, or

(b) the loan is made for the purpose of refinancing a loan within the meaning of paragraph (a), or

(c) the house is to be used as the principal residence of the borrower or his dependants;

“prescribed” means prescribed by Regulations made by the Minister;

F3[‘publication’ includes publication on an Internet website;]

F3[‘publish’ includes publish by means of the Internet;]

F3[‘record’ means any record of information, however compiled, recorded or stored, and includes—

(a) any book, a register and any other document containing information, and

(b) any disc, tape or other article from which information is capable of being produced in any form capable of being reproduced visually or aurally;]

F3[‘regulated financial service provider’ has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Act of 1942;]

“ the Regulations of 1992 ” means the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 395 of 1992);

“statutory functions”, in relation to the Bank, means its functions—

(a) under the Central Bank ActsF4[…],

(b) imposed by virtue of F5[…] F6[…] the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 395 of 1992), or the European Communities (Consolidated Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 396 of 1992),

(c) under the Unit Trusts Act, 1990 (No. 37 of 1990),

(d) under the Building Societies Act, 1989 (No. 17 of 1989),

(e) under the Companies Act, 1990 (No. 33 of 1990),

(f) under the Trustee Savings Banks Act, 1989 (No. 21 of 1989),

(g) under the Investment Limited Partnerships Act, 1994 (No. 24 of 1994),

(h) under the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 78 of 1989), and any instruments amending that instrument,

(i) under the Stock Exchange Act, 1995 (No. 9 of 1995),

(j) under the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995 (No. 11 of 1995), and

(k) under any other enactment;

“subsidiary” has the meaning assigned to it by section 155 of the Companies Act, 1963.

(2) For the purposes of the Central Bank ActsF4[…], “ deposit ”, on or after the commencement of this section, means a sum of money accepted on terms under which it is repayable with or without interest whether on demand or on notice or at a fixed or determinable future date.

F3[(2A) For the purposes of this Act, a person is concerned in the management of a body corporate, if the person is in any way involved in directing, managing or administering the affairs of the body or firm.]

(3) In this Act a reference to a section, a Part or a Schedule is a reference to a section or a Part of, or a Schedule to, this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended.

(4) In this Act a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended.

(5) In this Act a reference to an enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or adapted, whether before or after the commencement of this section, by or under any subsequent enactment.

3. — Every regulation or order made under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation or order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulation or order is laid before it, the regulation or order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

4. — (1) The Acts mentioned in column (2) of Part I of the Schedule are hereby repealed to the extent specified in column (3) of that Schedule.

(2) The instrument mentioned in column (2) of Part II of the Schedule is hereby revoked to the extent specified in column (3) of that Schedule.

5. — In this Part—

“existing payment system” means a payment system operating at the time of the commencement of this section;

“payment system” means a system established in the State, or proposed to be established in the State, by any person, in which credit institutions or financial institutions participate and which provides for—

(a) all or any of the following, namely, the processing, handling, clearance and settlement of any means of payment or of any securities, or

(b) the payment of any moneys by that means of payment, by or as between the members of the system or third parties, whether or not the processing, handling, clearance, settlement or payment of any of the moneys takes place in part or in whole within the State or outside the State;

“rules”, in relation to a payment system or a proposed payment system, means the rules governing or proposed to govern the membership and operation of the payment system.

6. — The Bank may become a member of, or be a party to the establishment or operation of, a payment system.

7. — No payment system, other than an existing payment system, shall be established or operated unless the persons who propose to establish the system have submitted the rules for such a proposed payment system (in this part referred to as a “ proposed system ”) to the Bank for approval and the Bank has approved of those rules.

8. — (1) Within three months of the passing of this Act, every payment system which was in operation before such passing (in this Part referred to as “ an existing system ”) shall—

(a) submit its rules to the Bank for approval, or

(b) cease to operate.

(2) Pending a decision by the Bank to approve or not to approve of the rules of an existing system submitted to it under subsection (1) (a), the Bank may—

(a) impose on the system such conditions or requirements as it considers appropriate to impose, or

(b) issue a direction under section 12 as if the existing system were a system the rules of which had been approved of by the Bank.

(3) The operators of a payment system may appeal to the Court against the imposition of any condition or requirement or the giving of a direction under this section.

(4) On hearing an appeal under subsection (3) of this section, the Court may confirm, vary or rescind any condition, requirement or direction imposed under this section.

9. — (1) The Bank shall decide to approve or refuse to approve the rules of a system within three months of the receipt of a submission under section 8 (1) and where the Bank approves of the rules of an existing system or for a proposed system, it may—

(a) make its approval subject to conditions or requirements or both as it thinks fit, and

(b) at any time after approval, impose conditions or requirements or both on any class of payment system or amend or revoke any condition or requirement or both to which this subsection relates, whether or not previously amended by this subparagraph.

(2) Every condition or requirement imposed to which this subsection relates and every amendment thereto or revocation thereof shall be imposed, amended or revoked as the Bank sees fit in the interest of the proper and orderly regulation of the payment system concerned and of competition between payment systems and every such condition or requirement may be imposed on either or both—

(a) that class of payment system, and

(b) the members of that payment system.

(3) In respect of any condition or requirement to which subsection (1) (b) relates, a condition or requirement shall not be imposed, amended or revoked until—

(a) the Bank has notified the operators or, when appropriate, the members of the payment system of its intention to so impose, amend or revoke, and

(b) the Bank has considered any representations made by the payment system or any member thereof within such time limit as the Bank may specify when notifying the payment system.

(4) The approval by the Bank of the rules of, or for, a payment system shall not constitute a warranty as to the solvency of that system or of any member of that system and the Bank shall not be liable, by reason of its approval, in respect of any losses incurred through the insolvency or default of that system or any of its members.

(5) An application for approval of the rules of an existing system or for a proposed system shall be in such form and contain such particulars as the Bank may from time to time determine.

(6) The Bank shall not approve of the rules of an existing system or a proposed system unless the existing system or proposed system is a company incorporated under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990.

(7) The operator of an existing system or the promoter of a proposed system may appeal to the Court against the imposition of any condition or requirement within 21 days of the imposition thereof and the Court may, on hearing an appeal under this section, confirm, vary or rescind any condition or requirement under this section.

10. — (1) The Bank shall not refuse to approve of the rules of an existing system or for a proposed system without the consent of the Minister and unless it is satisfied that the approval would not be in the interest of the proper and orderly regulation of such a system, and the Minister shall not consent to the refusal unless he or she is satisfied that the approval would not be in the interest of the proper and orderly regulation of such a system.

(2) Whenever the Bank proposes to refuse to approve of the rules of an existing system or for a proposed system—

(a) it shall notify the system or, in the case of a proposed system, the promoter of the system, in writing that it intends to seek the consent of the Minister to the proposed refusal and of its reasons for the refusal and that the system or the promoter may, within the period of 21 days after the date of the giving of the notification, make representations in writing to the Minister in relation to the proposed refusal,

(b) the operators of the system or the promoter may make such representations in writing to the Minister within the time aforesaid, and

(c) the Minister shall, before deciding to give or withhold his or her consent, consider any representations duly made to him or her under this subsection in relation to the proposed refusal.

F7[(3) In the performance of any function or duty by the Bank, or the exercise of any power by the Bank, required by or under the Treaty or the Statute, subsections (1) and (2) shall not apply.]

11. — Without prejudice to the provisions of section 9 , section 17 (which relates to books and records of holders of licences) (as amended by section 36 of the Act of 1989) of the Act of 1971 shall apply as if—

(a) every payment system to which this Part applies, and

(b) every member of that system,

who is not at the time of the commencement of this section the holder of a licence for the purpose of the Central Bank Acts, 1942 to 1989, and this Act, were the holder of such a licence.

12. — (1) Where the Bank is satisfied that a payment system or any member thereof has failed or is failing to comply with a condition or requirement under section 8 (2) (a) or section 9 , the Bank may give a direction to—

(a) the payment system to cease such activities as the Bank may specify, and

(b) any or all of the members of the payment system to cease operating as a member or members of that system,

for a specified period or until further notice by the Bank.

(2) (a) The payment system to which, or member or members thereof to whom, a direction is given under subsection (1) may apply in a summary manner to the Court for, and the Court may grant, an order setting aside the direction.

(b) The Bank may apply in a summary manner to the Court to have a direction by it under this section confirmed by the Court.

(3) The Court when considering the matter may make such interim or interlocutory order as it considers appropriate.

(4) Where the Court is satisfied, because of the nature or the circumstances of the case or otherwise in the interests of justice that it is desirable, the whole or any part of proceedings under this section may be heard otherwise than in public.

13. — (1) The Bank may—

(a) revoke an approval of the rules of a payment system if the system to which it was granted so requests,

(b) with the consent of the Minister, revoke an approval of the rules of a payment system, if—

(i) the system—

(I) has not commenced to operate within 12 months of the date on which the approval was granted, or

(II) has ceased operating for a period of more than one month,

(ii) the payment system being a company, the company is being wound up,

(iii) the payment system (being an existing system) or the promoter of a proposed system has obtained the approval of the Bank through false statements or any other irregular means,

(iv) the payment system becomes unable to meet its obligations to creditors or suspends payment lawfully due by the system or by any member thereof, or

(v) since the grant of the approval, the circumstances relevant to the grant have changed and are such that, if an application for an approval were made in the changed circumstances, it would be refused.

(2) Whenever the Bank proposes to revoke an approval (other than in pursuance of a request by the payment system to which it was granted to do so)—

(a) it shall notify the payment system concerned that it intends to seek the consent of the Minister to the revocation and of the reasons for that revocation and that the system may, within 21 days after the date of the giving of the notification, make representations in writing to the Minister in relation to the proposed revocation,

(b) the payment system may make such representations in writing to the Minister within the time aforesaid, and

(c) the Minister shall, before deciding to give or withhold his or her consent, consider any representations duly made to him or her under this subsection in relation to the proposed revocation.

F8[(2A) (a) In the performance of any function or duty by the Bank, or the exercise of any power by the Bank, required by or under the Treaty or the Statute, subsections (1)(b) and (2) shall not apply.

(b) In this subsection ‘the Treaty’ and ‘the Statute’ have the same meanings, respectively, as are assigned to them for the purposes of this Act by subsection (2) (inserted by the Central Bank Act, 1998 ) of section 24.]

(3) Where an approval of the rules of a payment system is revoked and the system is not a company which is being wound up—

(a) the system and the members thereof shall continue to be subject to the duties and obligations imposed by or under this Part or section 18 of the Act of 1971 until all liabilities of the system and its members have been discharged to the satisfaction of the Bank,

(b) the system shall, as soon as possible after the approval is revoked, notify the Bank and such other persons (if any) as the Bank indicates are to be notified of the measures being taken or proposed to be taken to discharge in full and without undue delay the liabilities of the system and the members thereof,

(c) in the case where—

(i) that payment system has notified the Bank in accordance with paragraph (b) and the Bank is of the opinion that the measures being taken or proposed to be taken for the purposes of that paragraph are not satisfactory, or

(ii) that payment system has not so notified the Bank and the Bank is of the opinion that the system has failed to so notify as soon as possible after the approval is revoked, or

(iii) the Bank is of the opinion that the payment system has failed to take all reasonable steps to notify persons that the Bank has indicated, under paragraph (b), are to be notified,

then, the Bank may give a direction in writing to that payment system or to any of its members for such period, not exceeding six months, as may be specified therein, prohibiting the payment system or the members thereof so directed from—

(I) dealing with or disposing of any assets or specified assets of the payment system or of its members in any manner, or

(II) engaging in any transaction or class of transaction or specified transaction, or

(III) making payments,

without the prior authorisation of the Bank, and the Bank may require that payment system or any of its members to prepare and submit to it for its approval within two months of the direction, a scheme for the orderly discharge in full of the liabilities concerned.

(4) (a) Where the approval of the rules of a payment system is revoked and the system is a company which is being wound up, the liquidator of the company shall, in addition to the duties and obligations in respect of the winding up, be subject to the duties and obligations to which the payment system would be subject were it a payment system to which subsection (3) relates and that subsection shall, for the purpose of this subsection, be construed accordingly.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the Bank may, where it revokes an approval and considers it appropriate in the circumstances, remove in writing the duty and obligation imposed on the liquidator concerned to comply with paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and may impose in writing on that liquidator such further or other duty and obligation which corresponds to that set out in the said paragraph (b).

(c) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as affecting any duty or obligation under this Part of the members of the payment system concerned.

(5) The Bank shall as soon as may be after the revocation of an approval of the rules of a payment system publish a notice of the revocation in such manner as it thinks fit.

(6) (a) The system to which a direction was given under subsection (3), or a liquidator to whom a direction was given under subsection (4), may apply in a summary manner to the Court for, and the Court may grant, an order setting aside the direction.

(b) The Bank may apply in a summary manner to the Court to have a direction by it under this section confirmed by the Court.

(7) The Court when considering the matter may make such interim or interlocutory order as it considers appropriate.

(8) Where the Court is satisfied, because of the nature or the circumstances of the case or otherwise in the interests of justice, that it is desirable, the whole or any part of proceedings under this section may be heard otherwise than in public.

14. — Any person who contravenes section 7 or section 8(1) and a payment system or a member thereof who—

(a) commits by act or omission a breach of a condition or requirement duly imposed and which relates to the approval by the Bank of the rules of the system, or

(b) fails by act or omission to comply with a direction confirmed by the Court under section 12 or section 13,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(i) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £1,500 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both, or

(ii) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding £50,000 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to both,

and

(iii) if the contravention, breach or failure in respect of which such person, payment system or member was convicted is continued after conviction, that person, system or member shall be guilty of an offence on every day on which the contravention, breach or failure continues after conviction in respect of the original contravention, breach or failure and for each such offence that person, system or member shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100 or on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding £5,000.

15. — In approving the rules of a payment system or in imposing terms and conditions for the operation of a system, the Bank may, without prejudice to any other requirement it sees fit to impose in the interests of the proper and orderly regulation of the system, impose conditions in relation to all or any of the following:

(a) the requirements for membership and rules of operation of the system;

(b) the code of conduct to be followed by the members of the system;

(c) the apportionment of costs as between the members themselves or between the members and the system;

(d) the fees, contributions or any other financial requirement in relation to membership of a payment system whatsoever imposed or to be imposed on an existing member of the system or an applicant for membership of the system.

16. — Section 26 of the Act of 1971 is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (7) (inserted by section 42 of the Act of 1989) of the following subsections:

17. — The Bank may exempt a payment system or a class of payment system from some or all of the requirements of this Part on such terms and conditions as the Bank may decide, where it is of the opinion that the application of this Part to that system or class of system is not necessary in the interest of the proper and orderly regulation of financial transactions in the State.

18. — F9[(1) The Bank may, subject to the approval of the Minister, prescribe the fee that a person who operates a payment system must pay to the Bank in relation to the operation of the system. Different fees may be prescribed for different classes of operators of payment systems.]

(2) Where the F9[Bank] proposes to prescribe a fee under subsection (1), F9[it]—

(a) shall notify the persons of the class to which the proposed fee relates of that proposed fee, and

(b) shall not prescribe the fee until F9[it] has considered any representations made to F9[it] within such period, being not less than two months after the date the notification was sent to each person concerned.

19. — Where any credit institution instructs the F10[Bank] to make a payment to the F10[Bank] or to another credit institution that instruction may not be revoked on or after the debiting of the account of such credit institution.

20. — Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any enactment relating to settlement or other accounts held at the Bank, all payment instructions and authorisations to and from the Bank shall be effective if made through a computerised system established by the Bank or in any other electronic form and not otherwise recorded within the Bank (without the need for an instrument in writing).

21. — The following section is hereby substituted for section 7 of the Act of 1942:

22. — (1) The Minister may make regulations providing for the regulation of cross-border credit transfers and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the regulations may provide, in respect of such credit transfers, for all or any of the following:

(a) transparency;

(b) periods of time within which establishments may be bound to make a payment;

(c) an obligation to execute transfers in accordance with instructions in payment orders, including instructions as regards allocation of costs;

(d) an obligation, in the event of non-execution of transfers, to refund an amount up to and including the full amount, interest and charges;

(e) dispute resolution procedures.

(2) In this section—

“cross-border credit transfer” means a transaction carried out on the initiative of an originator via an institution or its branch in one Member State of the European Union, with a view to making available an amount of money to a beneficiary at an institution or its branch in another Member State;

“transparency” means the making available to actual and prospective customers in writing, including where appropriate by electronic means, in a readily comprehensible form, information on conditions for cross-border credit transfers.

23. — (1) Subject to subsection (4), the Bank may promote and take part in the formation or establishment of one or more than one company.

(2) The Bank may acquire, hold and dispose of shares or other interests in one or more than one company and become a member of a company.

(3) The Bank may exercise total or partial control of the composition of the board of directors that controls or manages a company promoted, formed or established by it.

(4) The exercise by the Bank of any power conferred by this section shall be subject to the consent of the Minister, given after consultation with any other Minister of the Government who, in the opinion of the Minister, having regard to the functions of that Minister of the Government, ought to be consulted.

(5) The consent of the Minister shall be required for the drawing up of or amending of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of any company formed or acquired by the Bank.

(6) The functions and powers of any subsidiary of the Bank shall be limited to those conferred on the Bank.

(7) Subsection (6) shall not apply where the Bank becomes a member of, or is a party to the establishment or operation of a payment system.

24.—(1) In this Part—

‘affiliate’, in relation to an auditor, means a firm or body corporate specified by subsection (2) as being an affiliate of the auditor;

‘company’ has the same meaning as in section 2 (1) of the Companies Act 1963;

F13[‘financial holding company’ has the same meaning as it has in the European Union (Capital Requirements) Regulations 2014 ( S.I. No. 158 of 2014);]

‘firm’ has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Partnership Act 1890;

‘guideline’ means a guideline issued under section 27A or, if such a guideline is amended, means the guideline as amended;

F13[‘mixed financial holding company’ has the same meaning as it has in the European Union (Capital Requirements) Regulations 2014;]

‘public authority’ means a body (whether corporate or incorporate) established or constituted by or under an Act that performs one or more public functions;

‘relevant obligations’, in relation to a regulated financial service provider, means the service provider's obligations under—

(a) all designated enactments and all designated statutory instruments that apply to it, and

(b) all codes, guidelines and notices issued by the Bank that apply to it, and

(c) all other enactments and statutory instruments with which it must comply;

‘work’, in relation to an auditor, includes all work of an accounting, financial or advisory nature that an auditor does for a financial service provider as well as work involved in auditing the financial service provider's accounts.

(2) For the purposes of this Part, each of the following is an affiliate of an auditor in a financial year:

(a) in the case of an auditor that is a firm—

(i) any other firm that, at any time during the financial year, was under the same ownership and control as the auditor,

(ii) any body corporate in which the auditor, any firm mentioned in subparagraph (i) or (iv) or any body corporate mentioned in subparagraph (iii) or (iv) was, at any time in the financial year, entitled to exercise or control the exercise of 20 per cent or more of the voting rights at a general meeting,

(iii) any body corporate that was, at any time in the financial year, in the same group as a body corporate mentioned in subparagraph (ii),

(iv) any other firm, or body corporate, that because of the use of a common name or corporate identity or the sharing of common professional services could reasonably be considered to be associated with the auditor,

(b) in the case of an auditor who is a natural person—

(i) any partnership in which the auditor was, at any time in the financial year, a partner,

(ii) any body corporate in which the auditor, any partnership mentioned in subparagraph (i) or any body corporate mentioned in subparagraph (iii) was, at any time in the financial year, entitled to exercise or control the exercise of 20 per cent or more of the voting rights at a general meeting,

(iii) any body corporate that was, at any time in the financial year, in the same group as a body corporate mentioned in subparagraph (ii).

(3) For the purposes of this Part, a director of a regulated financial service provider that is a body corporate is taken to be concerned in the management of the financial service provider even though the director is not involved in its day to day management.]

F13[(4) In this Part—

(a) a reference to a financial service provider shall include a reference to a financial holding company or a mixed financial holding company,

(b) a reference to a regulated financial service provider shall include a reference to a financial holding company or a mixed financial holding company, and

(c) a reference to a person concerned in the management of a financial service provider shall include a reference to a person concerned in the management of a financial holding company or a mixed financial holding company.]

25.—(1) The Bank may, whenever it considers appropriate, serve on a regulated financial service provider a notice requiring the service provider to comply with this section.

(2) The Bank may also serve such a notice at the request of another public authority only if it is of the opinion that it would be in the public interest to do so.

(3) A notice must specify a reasonable period within which the requirement is to be complied with and, if the notice is served at the request of another public authority, it must specify the name and address of that authority.

(4) A regulated financial service provider on whom a notice is served shall provide the Bank with a compliance statement within the required period.

(5) If the compliance statement is provided at the request of another public authority, the financial service provider concerned shall, also within the required period, provide the public authority with a copy of the statement.

(6) A compliance statement must, in accordance with any relevant guideline, specify whether the regulated financial service provider concerned has, during the compliance period specified in the notice, complied with its relevant obligations, or with such of them as are specified in the notice.

(7) A compliance statement must also comply with the guidelines (if any) from time to time issued under section 27A (1).

(7A) In the case of a regulated financial service provider that is a company to which section 205E of the Companies Act 1990 applies, the Bank may, instead of serving on the financial service provider a notice under this section, rely on a compliance statement prepared under that section if it is satisfied that the statement contains the information that would be required to be included in a compliance statement under this section.

(8) In this section—

‘notice’ means a notice in writing served under this section;

‘required period’, in relation to a notice served on a regulated financial service provider, means the period specified in the notice within which the service provider must comply with the notice or, if the Bank extends that period, that extended period.]

26.—(1) If a notice served under section 25 so requires, the financial service provider concerned shall request that service provider's auditor to prepare a report about the relevant compliance statement.

(2) Within such period as is specified in the notice, the auditor shall prepare a report about the relevant compliance statement and deliver the report to the financial service provider concerned.

(3) Such a report must—

(a) state whether the relevant compliance statement is, in the auditor's opinion, fair and reasonable in the light of the information obtained by the auditor, or by an affiliate of the auditor, in the course of undertaking work for the service provider, and

(b) if the auditor is of the opinion that the compliance statement is not fair and reasonable, specify the reasons why, in the auditor's opinion, that statement is not fair and reasonable.

(4) As soon as practicable after receiving a report prepared in accordance with this section, the financial service provider concerned shall—

(a) attach the report to the compliance statement, or

(b) if that statement has already been delivered to the Bank, deliver the report to the Bank, and if another public authority requested the compliance statement, also deliver a copy of the report to the public authority.

(5) If a report prepared in accordance with this section relates to a financial service provider that is a company, the auditor shall include a copy of the report in the auditor's report on the company's accounts that are required to be laid before the company in general meeting.]

27.—(1) A regulated financial service provider who fails to comply with a requirement of section 25 or 26 commits an offence and is—

(a) if tried summarily, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000, or

(b) if tried on indictment, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €75,000.

(2) A regulated financial service provider who, having been convicted of an offence of failing to comply with a requirement of section 25 or 26, continues to fail to comply with the requirement commits a further offence on each day or part of a day during which the failure continues after that conviction and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €200 for each such day or part of a day, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €7,500 for each such day or part of a day.

(3) If a regulated financial service provider that is a body corporate commits an offence under subsection (1) or (2), each person who, at the time when the offence is found to have been committed, was concerned in the management of the body commits a separate offence, unless the person establishes that—

(a) the body committed the offence without the person's knowledge, or

(b) although the person did have that knowledge, the person took all reasonably practicable steps to prevent the commission of the offence.

(4) A person may be charged with having committed an offence under subsection (3) even if the financial service provider concerned is not charged with having committed an offence under subsection (1) in relation to the same matter.

(5) A person who is convicted of an offence under subsection (3) is liable to a fine not exceeding that prescribed by subsection (1) or (2) for a regulated financial service provider.]

F17[(6) (a) Subsection (1) does not apply if the regulated financial service provider concerned has a reasonable excuse.

(b) It is a reasonable excuse for the purposes of paragraph (a) for a regulated financial service provider to fail to comply with a requirement under section 25 or 26 that such compliance might tend to incriminate the regulated financial service provider.

(c) Paragraph (b) does not limit what is a reasonable excuse for the purposes of paragraph (a).]

27A.—(1) The Bank may from time to time issue guidelines with which a compliance statement must comply.

(2) The Bank may also from time to time issue guidelines specifying the manner in which the persons concerned in the management of regulated financial service providers, or of regulated financial service providers of a specified class, are required to exercise control over those service providers so as to ensure that those service providers comply with their obligations under the designated enactments and designated statutory instruments that apply to them.

(3) Whenever the Bank issues guidelines under this section, or amends or revokes those guidelines, the Bank must publish in Iris Oifigiúil a notice—

(a) stating that the guidelines have been issued, or have been amended or revoked, and

(b) specifying a place or places where copies of the guidelines, or the amendment or revocation, may be obtained.

(4) The Bank shall publish guidelines issued under this section, or any amendment or revocation of those guidelines, in a publication chosen by the Bank.

(5) Guidelines issued under this section take effect on the date on which the notice of their issue is published in Iris Oifigiúil or on such later date as is specified in the publication.

(6) The Bank may amend or revoke guidelines issued under this section.

(7) An amendment or revocation of a guideline issued under this section takes effect on the date on which notice of the amendment or revocation is published in Iris Oifigiúil or on such later date as is specified in the notice.

(8) All courts and tribunals are required to take judicial notice of guidelines in force under this section.]

27B.—(1) This section applies to an auditor who is required by or in accordance with a prescribed enactment to report a matter to the Bank.

(2) Within 1 month after the date of the auditor's report on the financial service provider's accounts, or within such extended period as the Bank allows, the auditor of the service provider shall deliver a written report to the Bank—

(a) stating whether or not circumstances have arisen that require the auditor to report a matter to the Bank under a prescribed enactment and, if such circumstances have arisen, specify those circumstances, and

(b) where the service provider has, during that financial year, been required to provide the Bank with a compliance statement stating whether or not the requirement has been complied with.

(3) A report under this section must be in a form publicly notified by the Bank.

(4) The following are prescribed enactments for the purpose of this section:

(a) section 35 of the Insurance Act 1989;

(b) section 47 of the Central Bank Act 1989;

(c) section 89 of the Building Societies Act 1989;

(d) section 38 of the Trustee Savings Banks Act 1989;

(e) section 258 of the Companies Act 1990;

(f) section 15 of the Unit Trusts Act 1990;

(g) section 16 of the Investment Limited Partnerships Act 1994;

(h) section 33 of the Investment Intermediaries Act 1995;

(i) section 34 of the Stock Exchange Act 1995;

(j) section 122 of the Credit Union Act 1997;

F20[(k) Regulation 85 of the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations 2003;]

F20[(l) Regulation 52 of the European Union (Capital Requirements) Regulations 2014;]

F20[(m) Regulation 78 of the European Union (Insurance and Reinsurance) Regulations 2015;]

F21[(n) any other provision of an Act or regulations declared under subsection (5) to be a prescribed enactment for the purpose of this section.]

(5) The Bank may, by notice published in Iris Oifigiúil, declare a provision of an Act or regulations to be a prescribed enactment for the purpose of this section.]

27BA.— (1) Where the Bank considers it necessary owing to the nature, scale or complexity of the activities of a regulated financial service provider, it may, by notice in writing to the auditor of the regulated financial service provider, require the auditor to conduct an examination for the purpose of providing to the Bank a statement as to the extent to which the regulated financial service provider has complied with obligations imposed by or under such provisions of financial services legislation as are specified in the notice.

(2) The notice—

(a) shall be given not less than 3 months before the date on which the auditor’s report on the regulated financial service provider’s accounts is due to be submitted to the Bank, and

(b) shall specify the standards in accordance with which the examination is to be conducted.

(3) The auditor shall conduct an examination in accordance with the notice and during the examination shall undertake such testing procedures and obtain such information as the auditor thinks appropriate.

(4) The auditor shall, not more than 2 months after the date on which the auditor’s report on the regulated financial service provider’s accounts is due to be submitted to the Bank, provide to the Bank a statement outlining the findings of the examination (including, in particular, the outcome of the testing procedures undertaken, and the information obtained, by the auditor during the examination).

(5) If the auditor is not satisfied that the regulated financial service provider has complied with an obligation imposed by or under the provisions of financial services legislation specified in the notice, the auditor shall include in the statement the reasons why the auditor is not so satisfied.

(6) The Bank may make regulations prescribing the obligations imposed by or under provisions of financial services legislation any or all of which may be specified in a notice under subsection (1).

(7) The Bank may prescribe an obligation imposed by or under a provision of financial services legislation in regulations under subsection (6) if and only if the provision concerns—

(a) administrative or accounting procedures of regulated financial service providers,

(b) internal control mechanisms of, or risk management by, regulated financial service providers, or

(c) the organisational structure or governance of regulated financial service providers.

(8) Before making regulations under this section the Bank shall consult the Minister and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

(9) In specifying under subsection (2)(b) the standards in accordance with which an examination is to be conducted, the Bank shall have regard to internationally recognised standards for assurance and auditing.]

27C.—(1) If the auditor of a regulated financial service provider provides the financial service provider, or those concerned in its management, with a report on a matter that has come to the auditor's notice while auditing the accounts of the financial service provider or carrying out any other work for the financial service provider of a kind specified by the Bank, the auditor shall provide the Bank with a copy of the report. The copy must be provided at the same time as, or as soon as practicable after, the original is provided to the financial service provider or those concerned in its management.

(2) If—

(a) an auditor of a regulated financial service provider invites the financial service provider, or the persons concerned in its management, to comment on a draft of a report referred to in subsection (1), and

(b) the financial service provider or those persons comment on the draft in response to the invitation, the obligation of the auditor under that subsection applies only to the final version of the report.

(3) If, in relation to the financial year of a regulated financial service provider, there has been no reason for the auditor of the service provider to provide such a report, the auditor shall nevertheless notify the Bank in writing that this is the case.]

27D.—Whenever an auditor of a regulated financial service provider that is a company provides the Director of Corporate Enforcement with a report or other document in accordance with a requirement imposed by the Companies Acts or any other enactment, the auditor shall also provide the Bank with a copy of that report or document. The copy must be provided at the same time as, or as soon as practicable after, the original is provided to the Director of Corporate Enforcement.]

27E.—(1) The Bank may, by notice in writing, request an auditor of a regulated financial service provider, or an affiliate of the auditor, to provide the Bank with a report on all or any of the following:

(a) the service provider's accounting or other records;

(b) the systems (if any) that the service provider has in place to ensure that the service provider acts prudently in the interests of its members (if a company or firm) and the interests of those to whom the service provider provides financial services;

(c) any other matter in respect of which the Bank requires information about the service provider, or the service provider's activities, to enable the Bank to perform a function imposed on it by or under an Act.

(2) The auditor or affiliate shall comply with such a request within such period as is specified in the request, or within such extended period as the Bank may allow.

(3) If the Bank so directs, the auditor or affiliate shall not, without the consent of the Bank, disclose to the financial service provider concerned, or any person concerned in the management of, or employed by, that service provider—

(a) the fact that the auditor or affiliate has received a request under subsection (1), or

(b) any information that might lead that service provider, or any such person, to suspect that the auditor or affiliate has received such a request.]

27F.—(1) The Bank may, by notice in writing, require an auditor of a regulated financial service provider, or an affiliate of the auditor, to provide the Bank with a copy of any record or information provided or obtained by the auditor or affiliate in connection with an audit of the financial service provider's accounts that is in the possession of the auditor or affiliate.

(2) The auditor or affiliate shall comply with such a request within such period as is specified in the request, or within such extended period as the Bank may allow.

(3) If the Bank so directs, the auditor or affiliate shall not, without the consent of the Bank, disclose to the financial service provider concerned, or any person concerned in the management of, or employed by, that service provider—

(a) the fact that the auditor or affiliate has received a request under subsection (1), or

(b) any information that might lead that service provider, or any such person, to suspect that the auditor or affiliate has received such a request.]

27G.—(1) An auditor of a regulated financial service provider who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with section 27B(2), F28[27BA(4) or (5),] 27C(1), 27D, 27E(2) or 27F(2), or contravenes section 27E(3) or 27F(3), commits an offence and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €75,000.

(2) An affiliate of an auditor of a regulated financial service provider who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with section 27E(2) or 27F(2), or contravenes section 27E(3) or 27F(3), commits an offence and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €75,000.

(3) An auditor who, having been convicted of an offence of failing to comply with a provision of section 27B, F28[27BA,] 27C, 27D, 27E or 27F, continues to fail to comply with the provision commits a further offence on each day or part of a day during which the failure continues after that conviction and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €200 for each such day or part of a day, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €7,500 for each such day or part of a day.

(4) An affiliate of an auditor who, having been convicted of an offence of failing to comply with a provision of section 27E or 27F, continues to fail to comply with the provision commits a further offence on each day or part of a day during which the failure continues after that conviction and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €200 for each such day or part of a day, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €7,500 for each such day or part of a day.]

27H.—An auditor or an affiliate of a regulated financial service provider does not—

(a) contravene any duty of confidentiality owed to the service provider or to its creditors or clients or, if the service provider is an incorporated or unincorporated body, to its members, or

(b) incur any tortious liability, only because the auditor or affiliate complies with a duty imposed on the auditor or affiliate by this Part.]

27I.—Any person who, in a return, statement or other document required by or under a provision of this Part or a regulation made for the purposes of this Part, provides information that the person knows, or ought reasonably to know, is false or misleading in a material respect commits an offence and is—

(a) if tried summarily, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000 and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or both, or

(b) if tried on indictment, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €75,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.]

27J.—Proceedings for an offence against a provision of this Part that is to be tried summarily may be brought and prosecuted only by the Bank or the Director of Public Prosecutions.]

27K.—F33[…]]

F35[28.—F36[(1)]In this Part—

F37["Act of 1995" means the Consumer Credit Act 1995;]

"Appeals Tribunal" means the Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal established under Part VIIA of the Central Bank Act 1942 ;

F38["authorisation" means an authorisation of a person to carry on a regulated business and, if an authorisation is amended in accordance with section 34, means the authorisation as amended;]

"bureau de change business" means a business that comprises or includes providing members of the public with a service that involves buying or selling foreign currency, other than a service that is provided—

F39[(a) by a person or body that is required to be licensed, registered or otherwise authorised by the Bank under a designated enactment (other than under this Part) or designated statutory instrument, or]

(b) F40[…]

(c) by a person or body on an ancillary basis in the ordinary course of providing services to customers of the person or body;

F41["consumer" means—

(a) an individual acting otherwise than in the course of business, or

(b) a micro enterprise within the meaning given by Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003³ concerning the definition of micro, small and medium sized enterprises;]

F37["consumer-hire agreement" means an agreement of more than three months duration for the bailment of goods to a hirer under which the property in the goods remains with the owner;]

F45["credit" means—

(a) a deferred payment,

(b) a cash loan (whether or not provided on the security of a mortgage or charge over an estate or interest in land), or

(c) other similar financial accommodation,

but does not include—

(i) credit of a class specified in section 3(2) of the Act of 1995,

(ii) credit granted or made available under an agreement of a class specified in section 3(2) of the Act of 1995,

(iii) credit arising under a transaction of a class specified in section 3(2) of the Act of 1995,

(iv) a payment of a class specified in section 3(2) of the Act of 1995, or

(v) bailment of goods to a hirer under an agreement of less than 3 months’ duration under which the property in the goods remains with the owner;]

F46["credit agreement" means an agreement whereby a creditor grants, or promises to grant, credit to a relevant borrower;]

F42["credit servicing" means—

(a) in relation to a credit agreement, subject to subsection (2)(a) —

(i) holding the legal title to the rights of the creditor under the agreement,

(ii) managing or administering the agreement, including—

(I) notifying the relevant borrower of changes in interest rates or in payments due under the agreement or other matters of which the agreement requires the relevant borrower to be notified,

(II) taking any necessary steps for the purposes of collecting or recovering payments due under the agreement from the relevant borrower, or

(III) managing or administering any of the following:

(A) repayments under the agreement;

(B) any charges imposed on the relevant borrower under the agreement;

(C) any errors made in relation to the agreement;

(D) any complaints made by the relevant borrower;

(E) information or records relating to the relevant borrower in respect of the agreement;

(F) the process by which a relevant borrower’s financial difficulties are addressed;

(G) any alternative arrangements for repayment or other restructuring;

(H) assessment of the relevant borrower’s financial circumstances and ability to repay under the agreement;

(I) determination of the overall strategy for the management and administration of a portfolio of such agreements;

(J) maintenance of control over key decisions relating to such a portfolio,

or

(iii) communicating with the relevant borrower in respect of any of the matters referred to in subparagraph (ii),

and

(b) in relation to a hire-purchase agreement or a consumer-hire agreement, subject to subsection (2)(b) —

(i) holding the legal title to the rights of the owner under the agreement,

(ii) managing or administering the agreement, including—

(I) notifying the hirer of changes in payments due under the agreement or other matters of which the agreement requires the hirer to be notified,

(II) taking any necessary steps for the purposes of collecting or recovering payments due under the agreement from the hirer, or

(III) managing or administering any of the following:

(A) repayments under the agreement;

(B) any charges imposed on the hirer under the agreement;

(C) any errors made in relation to the agreement;

(D) any complaints made by the hirer; (E) information or records relating to the hirer in respect of the agreement;

(F) the process by which a hirer’s financial difficulties are addressed;

(G) any alternative arrangements for repayment or other restructuring;

(H) assessment of the hirer’s financial circumstances and ability to repay under the agreement;

(I) determination of the overall strategy for the management and administration of a portfolio of hire-purchase agreements, consumer-hire agreements or a mixture of hire-purchase and consumer-hire agreements;

(J) maintenance of control over key decisions relating to such a portfolio,

or

(iii) communicating with the hirer in respect of any of the matters referred to in subparagraph (ii);]

F47["credit servicing firm" means, F43[subject to subsections (2A) and (2B)]—

(a) a person (other than the National Asset Management Agency or a NAMA group entity (within the meaning of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009 )) who undertakes credit servicing other than on behalf of an F43[regulated credit entity],

(b) a regulated financial service provider taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of F43[subsection (3) or (3A)],

(c) a credit servicing firm taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of subsection (4), or

F43[(d) a credit servicing firm referred to in paragraph (b) of section 34FA(1) that undertakes, on behalf of a person referred to in the said section 34FA, credit servicing within the meaning of clauses (I), (II) and (III)(A) to (H) of subparagraph (ii) and subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing";]]

F46["creditor" means a person who grants credit under a credit agreement in the course of the person’s trade, business or profession, and includes a group of such persons;]

F41["debt management firm" means a person who for remuneration provides debt management services to one or more consumers, other than an excepted person;]

F41["debt management services" means—

(a) giving advice about the discharge of debts (in whole or in part), including advice about budgeting in connection with the discharge of debts,

(b) negotiating with a person’s creditors for the discharge of the person’s debts (in whole or in part), or

(c) any similar activity associated with the discharge of debts;]

F41["excepted person" means—

(a) any charitable organisation within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Charities Act 2009,

(b) the Money Advice and Budgeting Service,

(c) any licensed bank, building society, credit union or friendly society,

(d) a barrister, solicitor or accountant who provides debt management services only in an incidental manner and is subject to regulation by a professional body,

(e) a person who is a party to the Protocol for Independent Advice to Borrowers Availing of Long Term Mortgage Forbearance made on 2 August 2012 (as amended from time to time) and provides advice in accordance with that Protocol,

(f) the Insolvency Service of Ireland, any approved intermediary authorised under section 47 of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 acting as such or any personal insolvency practitioner authorised under Chapter 1 of Part 5 of that Act carrying on practice as such,

(g) personal representatives (within the meaning of section 3 of the Succession Act 1965),

(h) trustees of a trust, other than a trust which is established to provide debt management services,

(i) the Bank,

(j) An Post,

(k) the National Asset Management Agency,

(l) the National Treasury Management Agency,

(m) the National Consumer Agency, and

(n) any other person constituted, or holding office, under an enactment or funded (in whole or in part) by a Minister of the Government;]

F48["exposure" and “servicing” have the same meanings, respectively, as in the Securitisation Regulation;]

F37["financial accommodation" has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 1995;]

F37["hirer" means a relevant person who takes, intends to take or has taken goods from an owner under a hire-purchase agreement or a consumer-hire agreement in return for periodical payments;]

F37["hire-purchase agreement" means an agreement for the bailment of goods under which the hirer may buy the goods or under which the property in the goods will, if the terms of the agreement are complied with, pass to the hirer in return for periodical payments; and where by virtue of two or more agreements, none of which by itself constitutes a hire-purchase agreement, there is a bailment of goods and either the hirer may buy the goods, or the property therein will, if the terms of the agreements are complied with, pass to the hirer, the agreements shall be treated for the purpose of this Act as a single agreement made at the time when the last agreement was made;]

F44["home reversion agreement" means an agreement between a vendor and a home reversion firm that provides—

(a) for the conveyance by the vendor to the home reversion firm of an estate or interest in land (which includes the principal residence of the vendor or of the vendor’s dependants) for a discounted sum or an income (or both), and

(b) for the vendor to retain the right to live in the residence until the occurrence of one or more events specified in the agreement;]

F44["home reversion firm" means a person carrying on a business of entering into home reversion agreements;]

F49[…]

F37["local authority" has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 1995;]

"money" includes any representation of money (such as a cheque) and any means by which monetary value is stored;

"money transmission business" means a business that comprises or includes providing a money transmission service to members of the public;

F38["money transmission service" means a service that involves transmitting money by any means, other than a service—

(a) that is a payment service to which the European Communities (Payment Services) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 383 of 2009) apply,

(b) that is provided to customers on a basis that is ancillary to any other services apart from debt management services,

(c) that is provided by—

(i) any charitable organisation within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Charities Act 2009,

(ii) the Money Advice and Budgeting Service,

(iii) any licensed bank, building society, credit union or friendly society,

F46[(iiia) a person authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm,]

(iv) a barrister, solicitor or accountant who provides money transmission services only in an incidental manner and is subject to regulation by a professional body,

(v) the Insolvency Service of Ireland, any approved intermediary authorised under section 47 of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 acting as such or any personal insolvency practitioner authorised under Chapter 1 of Part 5 of that Act carrying on practice as such,

(vi) personal representatives (within the meaning of section 3 of the Succession Act 1965),

(vii) trustees of a trust, other than a trust which is established to provide money transmission services,

(viii) the Bank,

(ix) An Post,

(x) the National Asset Management Agency,

(xi) the National Treasury Management Agency,

(xii) the National Consumer Agency, and

(xiii) any other person constituted, or holding office, under an enactment or funded (in whole or in part) by a Minister of the Government.]

"officer", in relation to a person that is a body corporate, means any person concerned in the direction or management of the body;

F55["originator", "sponsor", "original lender", "securitisation", "NPE securitisation", "servicer" and "traditional securitisation" have the meanings given to them respectively by Article 2 of the Securitisation Regulation;]

F37["owner" means the person who lets or has let goods to a hirer under a hire-purchase agreement or a consumer-hire agreement;]

F50[F51[…]]

F46["prescribed contravention" has the same meaning as in the Act of 1942;]

F41["qualifying shareholder", in relation to another person, means a person with a direct or indirect holding in the other person—

(a) that represents 10 per cent or more of the capital of, or the voting rights in, the other person, or

(b) that makes it possible to exercise a significant influence over the management of the other person;]

F53["regulated business" means a bureau de change business, a money transmission business, the business of a home reversion firm, the business of a retail credit firm, the business of a debt management firm or the business of a credit servicing firm;]

F37["regulated credit entity" means—

(a) a person who is authorised, or, by virtue of subsection (4) or (5), taken to be authorised, to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm, or

(b) a regulated financial services provider authorised, by the Bank or an authority that performs functions in an EEA country that are comparable to the functions performed by the Bank, to carry on a relevant activity in the State;]

F44["regulated financial service provider" has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Central Bank Act 1942;]

F37["relevant activity" means—

(a) directly or indirectly providing credit to, or

(b) entering into a consumer-hire agreement or hire-purchase agreement with,

a relevant person;]

F46["relevant borrower" means—

(a) a relevant person, or

(b) a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise within the meaning of Article 2 of the Annex to the Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 1 but only to the extent that the credit granted to it under the credit agreement concerned was provided by a financial service provider authorised, by the Bank or an authority that performs functions in an EEA country that are comparable to the functions performed by the Bank, to provide credit in the State;]

F44["relevant person" means a natural person within the State, other than—

(a) a natural person who is, or satisfies the criteria to elect to be treated as, a professional client for the purposes of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 60 of 2007), or

(b) a person who is a regulated financial service provider;]

F41["remuneration", in relation to debt management services, means any commission or other payment, whether paid directly or indirectly, in respect of the debt management services and includes a payment made in respect of the provision of services other than debt management services as a result of which debt management services are provided otherwise than for payment;]

F54["retail credit firm" means a person whose business consists wholly or partly of any relevant activity but does not include—

(a) a person who is a regulated financial service provider authorised, otherwise than under this Part, by—

(i) the Bank, or

(ii) an authority that performs functions in an EEA country that are comparable to the functions performed by the Bank,

to carry out any relevant activity in the State,

(b) a person who is a credit intermediary authorised under the Act of 1995,

(c) in relation to—

(i) credit that was originally provided by another person, a person to whom all or any part of that other person’s interest in the credit is directly or indirectly assigned or otherwise disposed of, or

(ii) a consumer-hire agreement or a hire-purchase agreement that was entered into by another person, a person to whom that other person’s interest in the agreement concerned is directly or indirectly assigned or otherwise disposed of,

(d) a person who carries out relevant activities on a once only or occasional basis and, in so doing, does not represent or create an impression (whether in advertising, marketing or otherwise) that the person would enter into agreements with other persons on the same or substantially similar terms as the agreements under which those relevant activities are carried out,

(e) a person who is exempted, or a person who belongs to a class of persons that is exempted, for the purposes of this paragraph, under section 29A,

(f) a person whose business consists partly of a relevant activity, but only by virtue of the person providing credit in the form of trade credit, or

(g) a local authority.]

F55["retain on an ongoing basis a material net economic interest in the securitisation of not less than 5 per cent" shall be construed in accordance with Article 6 of the Securitisation Regulation;]

F48["Securitisation Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/2402⁹ of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 laying down a general framework for securitisation and creating a specific framework for simple, transparent and standardised securitisation and amending Directives 2009/65/EC¹⁰, 2009/138/EC¹¹ and 2011/61/EU¹² and Regulations (EC) No. 1060/2009¹³ and (EU) No. 648/2012¹⁴ as amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/557 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2021¹⁵,]

F50["securitisation special purpose entity" means a corporation, trust or other entity (other than an originator or sponsor)—

(a) established for the purpose of carrying out one or more securitisations,

(b) the activities of which are limited to those appropriate to accomplishing that objective, and

(c) the structure of which is intended to isolate the obligations of the securitisation special purpose entity from those of the originator;]

"this Part" includes all regulations in force under this Part;

F48["traditional NPE securitisation" shall be construed in accordance with the Securitisation Regulation;]

"transmitting" includes transmitting—

(a) by means of a message or other form of communication, or

(b) by means of a transfer instrument, or

(c) by means of a clearing network.]

F56[(1A) For the purposes of paragraph (f) of the definition of "retail credit firm" in subsection (1), credit (in this subsection referred to as "the relevant credit") is provided in the form of trade credit if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) in the case of both the person (in this subsection referred to as "the first-mentioned person") by whom, and the person to whom, the relevant credit is provided, each is acting in the course of his or her business, trade or profession;

(b) the first-mentioned person is not a regulated financial service provider;

(c) the terms of the relevant credit provide for repayment, whether in instalments or as a single amount, of the whole of the credit by a date that is not later than 6 months after the date of its provision;

(d) the purpose of the relevant credit is to facilitate the purchase of goods or services from the first-mentioned person.]

F57[(2) For the purposes of this Part—

(a) a person who holds the legal title to the rights of the creditor under a credit agreement (in this paragraph referred to as "the holder") is taken to be credit servicing even if any action referred to in subparagraph (ii) or (iii), as the case may be, of paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing" in subsection (1) is being undertaken by a person, acting on behalf of the holder, authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm, and

(b) a person who holds the legal title to the rights of the owner under a consumer-hire agreement or a hire-purchase agreement (in this paragraph referred to as "the holder") is taken to be credit servicing even if any action referred to in subparagraph (ii) or (iii), as the case may be, of paragraph (b) of the definition of "credit servicing" in subsection (1) is being undertaken by a person, acting on behalf of the holder, authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm.]

F58[(2A) For the purposes of this Part, "credit servicing firm", in relation to credit granted by, or the holding of legal title of the rights of a creditor under a credit agreement by, a regulated credit entity, does not include a securitisation special purpose entity to which any part of the interest of the regulated credit entity in the credit or rights concerned is directly or indirectly assigned or otherwise disposed of, as part of a securitisation, where—

(a) the securitisation special purpose entity was established by or on behalf of the regulated credit entity as part of the securitisation arranged by or on behalf of that regulated credit entity,

(b) the regulated credit entity retains the legal title in respect of the interest so assigned or otherwise disposed of, and

(c) either—

(i) the originator, sponsor or original lender of the securitisation, or

(ii) in the case of a traditional NPE securitisation, the servicer, where it can demonstrate that it has expertise in servicing exposures of a similar nature to those securitised and that it has well-documented and adequate policies, procedures and risk-management controls in place relating to the servicing of exposures as required by Article 6 of the Securitisation Regulation,

is required to retain on an ongoing basis a material net economic interest in the securitisation of not less than 5 per cent.]

F59[(2B) For the purposes of this Part, "credit servicing firm", in relation to the rights of an owner under a consumer-hire agreement or hire-purchase agreement held by, or the holding of legal title to such rights by, a regulated credit entity, does not include a securitisation special purpose entity to which any part of the interest of the regulated credit entity in the rights concerned is directly or indirectly assigned or otherwise disposed of, as part of a securitisation, where—

(a) the securitisation special purpose entity was established by or on behalf of the regulated credit entity as part of the securitisation arranged by or on behalf of that regulated credit entity,

(b) the regulated credit entity retains the legal title in respect of the interest so assigned or otherwise disposed of, and

(c) either—

(i) the originator, sponsor or original lender of the securitisation, or

(ii) in the case of a traditional NPE securitisation, the servicer, where it can demonstrate that it has expertise in servicing exposures of a similar nature to those securitised and that it has well-documented and adequate policies, procedures and risk-management controls in place relating to the servicing of exposures as required by Article 6 of the Securitisation Regulation,

is required to retain on an ongoing basis a material net economic interest in the securitisation of not less than 5 per cent.]

F36[(3) For the purposes of this Part, a regulated financial service provider authorised, whether before or after the coming into operation of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015, by the Bank or an authority that performs functions in an EEA country that are comparable to the functions performed by the Bank, to provide credit in the State, is taken to be authorised to carry on F60[the business of a credit servicing firm in so far as that business comprises the activities referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing" in subsection (1)].]

F61[(3A) For the purposes of this Part, a person authorised by the Bank to carry on the business of a retail credit firm in respect of the activity referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of "relevant activity" in subsection (1) is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm in so far as that business comprises the activities referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of "credit servicing" in that subsection.]

F62[(4) For the purposes of this Part, a person (other than a regulated financial service provider taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of subsection (3)) authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm before the coming into operation of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018 is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm after such coming into operation.]

F63[(5) For the purposes of this Part, a person (other than a regulated financial service provider taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of subsection (3)) authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm before the coming into operation of section 2 (a)(iii) of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2022 is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business comprises the activities referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing" in subsection (1), after such coming into operation.]

29.—(1) A person shall not carry on a regulated business unless the person is the holder of an authorisation.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €100,000.

(3) A person who, after being convicted of an offence under subsection (2), continues to contravene subsection (1) commits a further offence on each day or part of a day during which the contravention continues and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €200 for each such day or part of a day, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €7,500 for each such day or part of a day.

(4) This section does not have effect in relation to a person who carries on a money transmission business until 6 months after the commencement of section 27 of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2004.]

F67[(5) For the purposes of this Act—

(a) the National Asset Management Agency and a NAMA group entity (within the meaning of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009) shall not be treated as carrying on a regulated business as a credit servicing firm,

(b) an excepted person shall not be treated as carrying on a regulated business as a debt management firm,

(c) a person referred to in paragraphs (a) to (g) of the definition of "retail credit firm" in section 28(1) shall not be treated as carrying on a regulated business as a retail credit firm, and

(d) a securitisation special purpose entity referred to in section 28(2A) or (2B) shall not be treated as carrying on a regulated business as a retail credit firm.]

29A.— (1) The Bank may exempt a person F69[for the purposes of paragraph (e) of the definition of "retail credit firm" in section 28(1) if,] in the opinion of the Bank—

F69[(a) the total amount or value of the relevant activities that are to be carried out by the person is such that it is reasonable to assume that the borrower or hirer, as the case may be, will be in a position to negotiate on equal terms or to obtain appropriate legal and financial advice, or]

(b) the person is one who, under section 8 (2) of the Central Bank Act 1971, is exempted, or is a member of a class of persons that is exempted, from being required to hold a banking licence, or

(c) the person is one who F69[carries out relevant activities] solely for charitable or public purposes and at a rate of interest or on other terms more favourable than those that are currently available commercially,

and the exemption would not be inconsistent with the proper and F69[orderly regulation of relevant activities] and the protection of customers of retail credit firms.

(2) The Bank may also exempt the persons belonging to a specified class of persons F70[for the purposes of paragraph (e) of the definition of "retail credit firm" in section 28(1) if,] in the opinion of the Bank—

F70[(a) the total amount or value of the relevant activities that are to be carried out by those persons is such that it is reasonable to assume that the borrowers or hirers, as the case may be, will be in a position to negotiate on equal terms or to obtain appropriate legal and financial advice, or]

(b) the persons are ones who, under section 8 (2) of the Central Bank Act 1971, are exempted, or belong to a class of persons that is exempted, from being required to hold a banking licence, or

(c) the persons are ones who F70[carry out relevant activities] solely for charitable or public purposes and at a rate of interest or on other terms more favourable than those that are currently available commercially,

and the exemption would not be inconsistent with the proper and F70[orderly regulation of relevant activities] and the protection of customers of retail credit firms.

(3) The power to exempt a person, or the persons belonging to a specified class, F71[for the purposes of paragraph (e) of the definition of "retail credit firm" in section 28(1)] may be exercised by the Bank either on its own initiative or on an application made by or on behalf of the person, or the persons or any of the persons belonging to that class.

(4) An exemption granted under this section is subject to such conditions as the Bank thinks fit to impose.

(5) The Bank may at any time by notice in writing—

(a) impose additional conditions on a person to whom, or on the persons belonging to a class in respect of which, an exemption has been granted under this section, or

(b) vary or revoke a condition imposed under subsection (4) or this subsection.

(6) The Bank shall revoke an exemption granted under this section if it is satisfied—

(a) that the circumstances relevant to the exemption have changed and are now such that the exemption would no longer be granted, or

(b) that a condition of the exemption is not being, or has not been, substantially complied with.

(7) The Bank shall publish in Iris Oifigiúil a notice of every exemption granted, and every revocation made, under this section.

(8) Failure to comply with subsection (7) does not affect the validity of an exemption granted, or a revocation made, under this section.

(9) F72[An exemption granted under this section shall apply to a person who, or a person belonging to a class of persons that, is exempted under this section, so long as the person]—

(a) does not carry on any kind of regulated business other than that to which the exemption relates, and

(b) complies with all conditions subject to which the exemption is granted.]

F73[(10) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) and subsection (2)(a), “the total amount or value of the relevant activities that are to be carried out” means—

(a) in relation to the provision of credit, the total amount or value of credit that is to be provided, together with any interest payable in respect of the credit,

(b) in relation to a consumer-hire agreement, the sum of the instalments and any other amounts payable under the agreement, and

(c) in relation to a hire-purchase agreement, the hire-purchase price (within the meaning of section 65 of the Act of 1995).]

30.—(1) A person who wishes to carry on a regulated business can apply to the Bank for an authorisation to carry on such a business.

(2) An application must—

(a) be in a form provided or specified by the Bank, and

(b) contain such information, and be accompanied by such documents, as the Bank requests, and

(c) be accompanied by the fee (if any) prescribed under section 33K of the Central Bank Act 1942 for the purposes of this subsection.

(3) The Bank may, by written notice given to an applicant, require the applicant to provide such additional information and documents as are reasonably necessary to enable it to determine the application. If such a requirement is not complied with within a period specified in the notice, not less than 14 days, the Bank may refuse the application.]

31.—(1) Except as provided by subsection (2), the Bank shall grant an application for an authorisation that complies with section 30.

(2) The Bank may refuse an application for an authorisation that complies with section 30 only if it is of the opinion that—

(a) to grant the application would be inconsistent with the effective enforcement of any law of the State the purpose of which is to prevent or inhibit money laundering or terrorism, or

(b) the applicant has failed to satisfy the Bank that the applicant is, or will be, able to properly fulfil the obligations imposed on holders of authorisations by or under this Part F76[or any other designated enactment and or any designated statutory instrument], or

(c) information given to the Bank by or on behalf of the applicant in connection with the application is materially false or misleading.

(3) If the Bank proposes to refuse an application, it shall serve on the applicant a notice in writing—

(a) specifying the grounds on which it is proposed to refuse the application, and

(b) informing the applicant that the applicant may, within 21 days after the giving of the notice, make written representations to the Bank showing why the application should be granted.

(4) Not later than 21 days after being given a notice under subsection (3), the applicant may make written representations to the Bank showing why the application should be granted.

(5) The Bank may refuse an application only after having considered any representations made by the applicant in accordance with subsection (4).

(6) If the Bank refuses an application, it shall immediately give to the applicant written notice of the refusal. The notice must include a statement setting out the reasons for the refusal.

(7) On granting an application for an authorisation, the Bank shall—

F77[(a) record the appropriate particulars of the applicant in the register of persons authorised to carry on any regulated business, and]

(b) issue the applicant with an authorisation authorising the applicant to carry on the regulated business to which the application relates.]

31A.— For the purposes of section 31(2)(b), in order to obtain and retain authorisation, a F79[person proposing to carry on, or carrying on, regulated business] shall satisfy the Bank—

(a) that, where applicable, F79[its memorandum and articles of association] will enable it to operate in accordance with this Act, and any condition or requirement that the Bank may impose,

(b) as to the probity and competence of F79[the person or (where it is a firm) of each of] the firm’s directors and managers,

(c) as to the suitability of F79[the person or (where it is a firm) of each of] the firm’s qualifying shareholders or partners,

(d) as to the organisational structure and management skills of the F79[person] and that adequate levels of staff and expertise will be employed to carry out its activities,

(e) that the F79[person] has and will follow procedures that will enable the Bank to be supplied with all information necessary for the performance of the Bank’s supervisory functions and to enable the public to be supplied with information that the Bank specifies,

(f) that the organisation of the F79[person’s] business structure is such that it, and any of its associated or related undertakings, (so far as appropriate and practicable) are capable of being supervised adequately by the Bank, and

(g) as to the conduct of the F79[person’s] business, financial resources and any other matters that the Bank considers necessary in the interests of the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of F79[regulated business] or in the interests of the protection of customers or potential customers.]

32.—(1) An authorisation authorises the holder to carry on a regulated business subject to and in accordance with the conditions of the authorisation.

(2) An authorisation remains in force until revoked under this Part.]

32A.— (1) An authorisation granted by the Bank under section 31 to a F82[person] may specify classes of services, and additional services, that F82[the person] may provide.

(2) An authorisation granted by the Bank under section 31 of this Act to a retail credit firm may include an authorisation to act as a home reversion firm.

(3) The Bank may amend—

(a) the classes of F83[…] services that may be provided in accordance with subsections (1) or (2), or

(b) the designation or classification of F82[persons] or services.

(4) For the purposes of subsections (1) to (3), the Bank may use such designation or classification of F82[persons] or services as the Bank considers appropriate to describe the services provided.

(5) At any time before granting or refusing an authorisation to a F82[person], the Bank may—

(a) request such further information from the F82[person], or

(b) instruct an authorised officer F84[appointed under F85[Part 3 of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013]] to make such inquiries, or carry out such investigations,

as it considers necessary for the purpose of properly evaluating an application. Any such inquiries or investigations shall be carried out in accordance with this Act.

(6) In the case of a F82[person] authorised in another EEA Country, the Bank—

(a) shall have regard to any requirements imposed on F82[the person] by an authority of that country that appears to the Bank to exercise a regulatory or supervisory role similar to that of the Bank in relation to F82[the person], and

(b) may exchange with that authority information relevant to the carrying out of the Bank’s functions under this Act or the functions of that authority under the laws of that country.]

33.—(1) In granting an application for an authorisation, the Bank may impose on the applicant such conditions as it considers necessary for the proper and orderly regulation of the applicant's business and, in particular, for preventing the business from being used to launder money or to finance terrorism.

(2) If the Bank grants an application subject to conditions, it shall specify those conditions in the authorisation granted to the applicant or in one or more documents annexed to that authorisation.]

33A.— (1) Without limiting section 33, the Bank may do all or any of the following in respect of F88[a person authorised to carry on a regulated business]:

(a) make F88[the person’s] authorisation subject to such conditions or requirements, or both, as it considers appropriate, relating to—

(i) the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of F88[persons authorised to carry on regulated business], and

(ii) the protection of their customers or potential customers;

(b) impose conditions or requirements, or both, relating to the affairs or activities in an associated undertaking or a related undertaking;

(c) require the display on F88[any relevant document] of a notice in a form provided or prescribed by the Bank of any information relevant to F88[the document];

(d) at any time, impose conditions or requirements, or both, on an authorised F88[person] and either amend or revoke any condition or requirement imposed under this paragraph or under paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

(2) A condition or requirement referred to in subsection (1) may be imposed in relation to any or all of the following:

(a) an authorised F88[person];

(b) all authorised F88[persons];

(c) a class or classes of authorised F88[persons];

(d) a specified period of time or times;

(e) an associated undertaking or related undertaking;

(f) such matters relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of authorised F88[persons], and the protection of their customers or potential customers, as the Bank considers appropriate.

(3) Without limiting subsections (1) and (2), the Bank may impose conditions or requirements on an authorisedF88[person], or a class of authorised F88[persons] concerning—

(a) the level of training, qualifications or professional competence of managers, officers or employees,

(b) the provision of information to the Bank or to a person specified by the Bank, and

(c) the application of a prescribed code of practice relating to—

(i) regulated financial service providers within the meaning of the Central Bank Act 1942, or

(ii) a class of regulated financial service providers whose business appears to be comparable to that of an authorised F88[person] or a class of authorised F88[persons].]

F89[(4) The Bank may also impose on persons authorised to carry on a money transmission business a condition or requirement to raise and maintain such capital or other financial resources as may be specified by the Bank.

(5) The Bank may also impose on a debt management firm F90[or credit servicing firm] a condition or requirement to effect a policy of professional indemnity insurance—

(a) in such form,

(b) providing indemnification up to such sum and in respect of such matters, and

(c) valid for such minimum period,

as the Bank may specify from time to time.]

34.—The Bank may from time to time amend an authorisation—

(a) by varying any of its conditions, or

(b) by replacing or revoking an existing condition, or

(c) by adding a new condition,

but only after giving to that holder a notice in writing of its intention to do so and an opportunity to be heard by, or to make written representations to, the Bank in relation to the proposed amendment.]

34C.— (1) Despite section 29, a person carrying on the business of a retail credit firm, or a home reversion firm, immediately before the commencement of Part 2 of the Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2007 is taken to be authorised as a regulated business until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that commencement.

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised as a regulated business under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of a regulated business;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a retail credit firm, or the business of a home reversion firm, for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Central Bank Act 1942.]

34D.— (1) Notwithstanding section 29, a person carrying on the business of a debt management firm immediately before the commencement of Part 10 of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013 is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a debt management firm until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided that the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that commencement.

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a debt management firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of debt management firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a debt management firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.]

34E. (1) Notwithstanding section 29, a person carrying on the business of a retail credit firm who did not require authorisation immediately before the coming into operation of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015 is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a retail credit firm until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided that the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that coming into operation.

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a retail credit firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of retail credit firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a retail credit firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.]

34EA. (1) Notwithstanding section 29, a person carrying on the business of a retail credit firm who did not require authorisation immediately before the coming into operation of section 2 (a)(vii) of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2022 is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a retail credit firm until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided that the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that coming into operation.

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a retail credit firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of retail credit firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a retail credit firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.]

34F. (1) Notwithstanding section 29, a person (other than a regulated financial service provider taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of section 28(3)) carrying on the business of a credit servicing firm immediately before the coming into operation of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015 is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided that the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that coming into operation.

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of credit servicing firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.]

34FA.(1) Notwithstanding section 29, a person (other than a regulated financial service provider taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of section 28(3) or a person taken to be carrying on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of section 28(4)) carrying on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business relates to F98[credit servicing within the meaning of subparagraph (i), (ii)(III)(I) or (ii)(III)(J), as the case may be, of paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing"] in section 28(1) (in this subsection referred to as "the specified matters"), immediately before the coming into operation of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018, is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business relates to the specified matters, after such coming into operation until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided that—

(a) the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that coming into operation, and

(b) a credit servicing firm undertakes, on behalf of that person, credit servicing F98[within the meaning of clauses (I), (II) and (III)(A) to (H) of subparagraph (ii) and subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing"] in section 28(1).

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of credit servicing firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.]

34FB. (1) Notwithstanding section 29, where a person (other than a person taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of section 28(3), (3A), (4) or (5)) carrying on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business relates to—

(a) specified credit matters, or

(b) specified hire matters,

immediately before the coming into operation of section 2 (a)(iii) of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2022, applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that coming into operation, that person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business relates to specified credit matters or specified hire matters, as the case may be, after such coming into operation until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person.

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of credit servicing firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.

(4) In this section—

"specified credit matters" means credit servicing within the meaning of paragraph (a) of the definition of "credit servicing" in subsection (1) of section 28 relating to classes of credit included within the definition of "credit" in that subsection which were not included in that definition immediately before the coming into operation of section 2 (a)(ii) of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2022;

"specified hire matters" means credit servicing within the meaning of paragraph (b) of the definition of "credit servicing" in section 28(1).]

34G. (1) A credit servicing firm shall not, on its own behalf or on behalf of, or on the instructions of, a person F101[who holds the legal title to the rights of the creditor under a credit agreement or the legal title to the rights of the owner under a consumer-hire agreement or a hire-purchase agreement], take or fail to take an action, if the taking of or the failure to take the action would otherwise be a prescribed contravention if a retail credit firm took or failed to take that action.

(2) A person F101[who holds the legal title to the rights of the creditor under a credit agreement or the legal title to the rights of the owner under a consumer-hire agreement or a hire-purchase agreement] shall not instruct a credit servicing firm to take or fail to take an action, if the taking of or the failure to take the action would otherwise be a prescribed contravention if a retail credit firm took or failed to take that action.

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding €250,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or both.]

35.—(1) The holder of an authorisation shall comply with—

(a) the requirements imposed on holders of authorisations by this Part, and

(b) the conditions (if any) of the authorisation, and

(c) the requirements (if any) imposed by regulations in force under this Part.

(2) A person who fails to comply with subsection (1) commits an offence and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €75,000.]

36.—The Bank shall revoke an authorisation on the application of the holder of the authorisation, but only if satisfied that the holder of the authorisation has fully complied with the provisions of this Part F104[and such of the other designated enactments and designated statutory instruments as apply] and the conditions of the authorisation.]

36A.—(1) The Bank may revoke an authorisation on being satisfied on reasonable grounds that—

(a) the holder of the authorisation has not begun to carry on a regulated business within 12 months after the date on which the authorisation was granted, or

(b) the holder of the authorisation has not carried on such a business within the immediately preceding 6 months, or

(c) the authorisation was obtained by means of a false or misleading representation, or

(d) the holder of the authorisation has contravened or is contravening, or has failed or is failing to comply with a provision of this Part F106[or any other designated enactment or designated statutory instrument], a condition of the authorisation or a requirement imposed by or under this Part F106[or any other designated enactment or designated statutory instrument], or

(e) if the holder of the authorisation is a natural person, the holder is adjudicated bankrupt, or

(f) if the holder of the authorisation is a partnership, the partnership is dissolved by the death or bankruptcy of a partner or because of the operation of a provision of the Partnership Act 1890, or

(g) if the holder of the authorisation is a body corporate, the winding-up of the body has commenced, or

(h) the holder of the authorisation is so structured, or business of the holder is so organised, that the holder is no longer capable of being regulated to the satisfaction of the Bank, or

(i) the circumstances under which the authorisation was granted have changed to the extent that an application for authorisation would be refused had the application been made in the changed circumstances, or

(j) the holder of the authorisation suspends payments due to creditors, or is unable to meet any other obligations to creditors of the holder, or

(k) if the holder of the authorisation is a branch or subsidiary of a body corporate that has its head office in another country that is an EEA country, the authority of that other country that performs functions similar to those of the Bank under this Part has terminated the authority of that body to carry on a regulated business in that other country, or

(l) the holder of the authorisation, or officer of that holder, is convicted of—

(i) an offence against this Part or against any other designated enactment or designated statutory instrument, or

(ii) an offence involving fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust, money laundering or financing F107[terrorism, or]

F106[(m) the holder of the authorisation is not, in the opinion of the Bank, a fit and proper person to hold the authorisation, or

(n) any officer or qualifying shareholder of the holder of the authorisation is not, in the opinion of the Bank, a fit and proper person to be such an officer or shareholder, or

(o) it is necessary in the interests of the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of the regulated business concerned.]

(2) If the Bank proposes to revoke an authorisation, it shall serve on the holder of the authorisation a notice in writing informing the holder of the Bank's intention to revoke the authorisation. The notice must—

(a) specify the grounds on which it is proposed to revoke the authorisation, and

(b) inform the holder of the authorisation that the holder may, within 21 days after service of the notice, make written representations to the Bank showing why the authorisation should not be revoked.

(3) Not later than 21 days after a notice is served on the holder of an authorisation in accordance with subsection (2), the holder may make written representations to the Bank showing why the authorisation should not be revoked.

(4) The Bank may revoke the authorisation only after having considered any representations made by the holder of the authorisation in accordance with subsection (3).

(5) As soon as practicable after revoking an authorisation under this section, the Bank shall give written notice of the revocation to the person who was the holder of the authorisation. The notice must include a statement of the reasons for revoking the authorisation.

(6) Revocation of an authorisation under this section takes effect on and from the date of the notice of revocation or, if a later date is specified in the notice, on and from that date, irrespective of whether an appeal against the revocation is made under Part VIIA of the Central Bank Act 1942.]

36B.—(1) If the Bank reasonably believes that there may be grounds for revoking an authorisation under section 36A, it may give to the holder of the authorisation a direction in writing prohibiting it from carrying on a regulated business otherwise than in accordance with conditions specified by the Bank.

(2) A direction given under this section—

(a) must include a statement of the Bank's reasons for giving the direction and specify the conditions with which the holder of the authorisation must comply, and

(b) remains in force for such period (not exceeding 6 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A direction takes effect from the date of the direction or, if a later date is specified in the direction, from that date, irrespective of whether or not the holder of the authorisation appeals against the direction.

(4) The holder of an authorisation shall comply with a direction given under this section and the conditions (if any) contained in the direction.

(5) The Bank may, by notice in writing given to the holder of the authorisation concerned, amend or revoke a direction given under this section.

(6) Without limiting subsection (5), the Bank may from time to time, by notice in writing given to the holder of the authorisation concerned, extend the period during which a direction remains in force by a further period not exceeding 6 months.

(7) A direction given under this section ceases to have effect—

(a) at the end of the period specified in the direction, or if the period is extended under subsection (6), at the end of the extended period, or

(b) on the revocation of the holder's authorisation under this Part, whichever first occurs.

(8) A person who contravenes a direction given under this section, or fails to comply with a condition of the direction, commits an offence and—

(a) if tried summarily, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000, or

(b) if tried on indictment, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €75,000.]

36C.—As soon as practicable after revoking an authorisation under section 36 or 36A, or giving a direction under section 36B, the Bank shall publish in a publication of its choice a notice giving particulars of the revocation or direction.]

36D.—(1) The Bank is required to establish and keep a register of persons authorised to carry on regulated businesses.

(2) The register must contain the name and the address of the principal place of business of each person authorised to carry on a regulated business and such other information as the Bank determines.

(3) The register may be in book form, electronic form or such other form as the Bank determines from time to time. If the register is kept in an electronic form that is not visually readable, it must be capable of being reproduced in a visually readable form.

(4) The Bank is to keep the register at its head office or at such other place as it specifies by notice published in Iris Oifigiúil.

(5) Members of the public are entitled, without charge, to inspect the register during the ordinary business hours of the Bank.

(6) A member of the public is entitled to obtain a copy of the register or of an entry in a register on payment of a fee of such amount (if any) as may be prescribed under section 33K of the Central Bank Act 1942 for the purposes of this subsection.]

36E.—The Bank shall, not less frequently than once during every period of 12 months after the commencement of this section, publish in a publication of its choice a list of persons authorised to carry on regulated businesses. If regulations in force under this Part so require, the list must contain such other particulars as are prescribed by those regulations.]

36EA. (1) The Minister may request the Bank, in writing, to collect and publish information which the Bank may collect and publish pursuant to section 5A(1)(g) of the Act of 1942 relating to—

(a) credit agreements,

(b) consumer-hire agreements, and

(c) hire-purchase agreements.

(2) The Minister may request the Bank to—

(a) obtain, in accordance with section 65 of the Act of 1942, information relating to hire-purchase agreements, and

(b) subject to subsection (6), publish that information.

(3) The Bank shall comply with a request from the Minister under subsection (1) or (2).

(4) A request under subsection (1) or (2) shall specify—

(a) the information which is required to be collected, obtained or published, as the case may be, and

(b) the manner in which the information is to be published.

(5) A request under subsection (1) or (2) may be for the collecting, obtaining or publication of information on—

(a) a once-off basis, or

(b) on an ongoing basis, at a frequency specified in the request.

(6) The Minister shall not request the publication of personal data under subsection (2)(b).

(7) In this section, "personal data" has the same meaning as it has in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016¹.]

36F.—(1) The holder of an authorisation shall—

(a) keep at an office or offices within the State such records as may be specified from time to time by the Bank, and

(b) notify the Bank in writing of the address of the office or offices where those records are kept. Different kinds of records may be specified under this subsection for different kinds of authorisations.

(2) The requirement imposed by subsection (1) is additional to any other requirement imposed by law with respect to the keeping of records by the holder of an authorisation.

(3) The holder of an authorisation shall keep the records referred to in subsection (1) for such period as the Bank notifies in writing to that holder.

(4) The holder of an authorisation may keep documents wholly or partly in a non-legible form so long as they are capable of being reproduced in a legible form.]

36G.—F115[…]]

36H.—F117[…]]

36I.—F119[…]]

36J.—(1) If a person has engaged, is engaging or is about to engage in conduct that involved, involves or would involve—

(a) contravening a provision of this Part, or

(b) attempting to contravene such a provision, or

(c) aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a person to contravene such a provision, or

(d) inducing or attempting to induce, whether by threats, promises or otherwise, a person to contravene such a provision, or

(e) being in any way, directly or indirectly, knowingly concerned in, or a party to, the contravention by a person of such a provision, or

(f) conspiring with others to contravene such a provision,

the Court may make an order restraining the person from engaging in the conduct. The Court may include in the order a requirement that the person do a specified act.

(2) If a person has refused or failed, is refusing or failing, or is about to refuse or fail, to do an act that the person is required to do by or under a provision of this Part, the Court may make an order requiring the person to do that act.

(3) An order under this section may be made only on the application of the Bank or some other person whose interests have been, are or would be affected by the conduct or by the refusal or failure to do the act concerned.

(4) The Court may hear an application for an order under this section only if it is satisfied that the person in relation to whom the order is sought has been served with a copy of the application at least 7 days before the hearing.

(5) An order under this section may be made on such terms as the Court thinks appropriate.

(6) The Court may grant an interim order pending the determination of an application under this section.

(7) If the Bank applies to the Court to make an order under this section, the Court may not require the applicant or any other person to give an undertaking as to damages as a condition of granting an interim order.

(8) The Court may discharge or vary an order made under this section.

(9) The power of the Court to make an order restraining a person from engaging in conduct may be exercised—

(a) whether or not it appears to the Court that the person intends to repeat, or to continue, the conduct, and

(b) whether or not the person has previously engaged in that kind of conduct, and

(c) whether or not there is an imminent danger of substantial damage to any other person if the person engages in that kind of conduct.

(10) The power of the Court to grant an injunction requiring a person to do an act may be exercised—

(a) whether or not it appears to the Court that the person intends to refuse or fail again, or to continue to refuse or fail, to do that act, and

(b) whether or not the person has previously refused or failed to do that act, and

(c) whether or not there is an imminent danger of substantial damage to any other person if the person refuses or fails to do that act.

(11) Whenever the Court has power under this section to make an order restraining a person from engaging in particular conduct, or requiring a person to do a particular act, it may, either in addition to or instead of making such an order, order the person to pay damages to another person.]

36K.—(1) If a body corporate commits an offence under this Part, each person who was, at the time the offence is found to have been committed, an officer of the body commits an offence, unless the person establishes that—

(a) the body committed the offence without the person's knowledge, or

(b) although the person did have that knowledge, the person took all reasonably practicable steps to prevent the commission of the offence.

(2) A person may be charged with having committed an offence under this section even if the body corporate concerned is not charged with having committed an offence under this Part in relation to the same matter.

(3) A person who is convicted of an offence under this section is—

(a) if tried summarily, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or both, or

(b) if tried on indictment, liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding €50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.]

36L.—The following decisions are appealable decisions for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Central Bank Act 1942 :

(a) the refusal of an application made under section 30;

(b) the imposition of conditions on the granting of an authorisation (not being conditions prescribed by regulations in force under this Part);

(c) the amendment of an authorisation under section 34;

(d) the revocation of an authorisation under section 36A;

(e) the giving of a direction under section 36B.]

36M.—(1) The Bank may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Part, for or with respect to any matter that by this Part is required or permitted to be prescribed, or that is necessary or expedient to be prescribed, for carrying out or giving effect to this Part.

(2) A regulation under section 33J or 33K of the Central Bank Act 1942 may require holders of authorisations to pay a levy or fee for the purposes of this Part, or both a levy and fee.

(3) If a regulation under section 33J or 33K of the Central Bank Act 1942 imposes a requirement to pay a levy or fee to the Bank and the holder of an authorisation fails to pay the fee within the period, or by the date, specified in the regulation, the Bank may, by proceedings brought in a court of competent jurisdiction, recover the amount of the levy or fee from the holder as a debt due to the Bank.

(4) A provision of a regulation under this section may—

(a) apply generally or be limited in its application by reference to specified exceptions or factors, or

(b) apply differently according to different factors of a specified kind, or

(c) authorise any matter or thing to be from time to time determined, applied or regulated by a specified person or body,

or may do any combination of those things.]

36N.—The Bank shall perform and exercise the functions and powers imposed or conferred on it by this Part in a manner consistent with the performance by the Governor of the responsibilities imposed on the Governor by section 19A of the Central Bank Act 1942.]

37. — The Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the substitution of the following section for section 4:

38. — Section 8 of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended—

(a) by the deletion after “The Bank” of “ and the Minister for Enterprise and Employment ”,

(b) by the substitution of “ authority ” for “authorities”.

39. — Section 10 of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (16):

40. — Section 20 (5) of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the deletion of “ shall co-operate with the other supervisory authority in the State and ”.

41. — Section 22 of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended—

(a) by the deletion in subsection (5) of “ the Minister for Enterprise and Employment or ”,

(b) by the substitution in subsection (5) of “ the Governor ” for “that Minister or that Governor”,

(c) by the deletion in subsection (6) (a) of “ Minister for Enterprise and Employment or the ”, and

(d) by the deletion in subsection (6) (a) of “ said Minister or ”.

42. — Section 25 (b) of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the deletion of “ the instruments referred to in section 4 (2) (a) to (c) ” and the substitution of “ units or shares in undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities within the meaning of the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 78 of 1989), and any subsequent amendments thereto, units in a unit trust, other collective scheme instruments, ”.

43. — Section 26 (1) of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the deletion of “ the instruments referred to in section 4 (2) (a) to (c) of this Act ” and the substitution of “ units or shares in undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities within the meaning of the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 78 of 1989), and any subsequent amendments thereto, units in a unit trust, other collective scheme instruments, ”.

44. — The Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the substitution of the following section for section 27:

45. — Section 28 (1) of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended—

(a) by the deletion of “ the instruments referred to in section 4 (2) (a) to (c) or ” and the substitution of “ units or shares in undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities within the meaning of the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations, 1989 (S.I. No. 78 of 1989), and any subsequent amendments thereto, units in a unit trust, other collective scheme instruments, ”

(b) by the substitution of “ by the supervisory authority ” for “by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment”.

46. — Section 29 of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the substitution of “ the supervisory authority ” for “the Minister for Enterprise and Employment”.

47. — Section 31 of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution in subsection (3) of “ the supervisory authority ” for “the Minister for Enterprise and Employment”,

(b) by the substitution in subsection (3) of “ the supervisory authority ” for “that Minister”, and

(c) by the substitution in subsection (4) of “ The supervisory authority ” for “The Minister for Enterprise and Employment”.

48. — F125[…]

49. — Section 78 (3) of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, is hereby amended by the deletion of “ or the Minister for Enterprise and Employment ” in each place where it occurs.

50. — The following section is hereby substituted for section 24 (as amended by section 14 of the Act of 1989) of the Act of 1942:

51. — Section 28 of the Act of 1942 is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

52. — Section 16 (as amended by section 50 of the Stock Exchange Act, 1995, and section 49 of the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995), of the Act of 1989, is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following for paragraph (e) of subsection (2)—

(b) by the insertion after subsection (2) (o) of the following paragraphs:

and

(c) by the insertion after subsection (6) of the following subsection:

53. — Section 47 of the Act of 1989 shall apply—

(a) to every financial institution to which Chapter VII of Part II of the Act of 1989 relates,

(b) to every exchange to which Chapter VIII of Part II of the Act of 1989 relates and every member of that exchange, and

(c) to every person authorised by the Bank to carry on money broking business,

as if each such institution, exchange, member or person so authorised were the holder of a licence for the purposes of the Central Bank Acts F126[…].

54. — Section 48 of the Act of 1989, is hereby amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (3):