Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2002

Amendment of section 48 of Principal Act.

33.—The following section is substituted for section 48 of the Principal Act:

“Priorities on winding up of relevant scheme.

48.—(1) In applying the resources of a relevant scheme which has been wound up after 1 January 1997, the trustees shall discharge the liabilities of the scheme for the following benefits in the following order—

(a) where the scheme is wound up on or before 1 June 2002—

(i) firstly, the benefits specified in paragraph 1 of the Third Schedule to or in respect of those persons, who, at the date of the winding up, were within the categories referred to in that paragraph, to the extent that they are not already discharged, and

(ii) secondly, the benefits specified in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Third Schedule to or in respect of those members of the scheme who, at the date of the winding up, were within the categories referred to in those paragraphs, to the extent that they are not already discharged,

before discharging the liabilities of the scheme for other benefits, and

(b) where the scheme is wound up after 1 June 2002—

(i) firstly, all additional benefits secured or granted by way of additional voluntary contributions or a transfer of rights from another scheme to which paragraph 2 of the Third Schedule relates to the extent that the rights to which the transfer relates were originally secured or granted by way of additional voluntary contributions,

(ii) secondly, the benefits specified in paragraph 1 of the Third Schedule to or in respect of those persons, who, at the date of the winding up, were within the categories referred to in that paragraph, to the extent that they are not already discharged, and

(iii) thirdly, the benefits specified in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of the Third Schedule to or in respect of those members of the scheme who, at the date of the winding up, were within the categories referred to in those paragraphs, to the extent that they are not already discharged,

before discharging the liabilities of the scheme for other benefits.

(2) If, after discharging the liabilities of a scheme to which subsection (1)(b) applies for the benefits specified in that subsection and any other benefits arising under the rules of the scheme, any resources of the scheme remain, then, before returning any part of the resources of the scheme to the employer, the trustees shall, to the extent that they have not already done so, provide out of the resources of the scheme for revaluation of the benefits specified in paragraph 4 of the Third Schedule, calculated in accordance with section 33 as though these benefits were specified in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Third Schedule.

(3) In applying the resources of a relevant scheme which has been wound up, the trustees may discharge, notwithstanding anything contained in the rules of the scheme and without the consent of the member concerned, the liability of the scheme for benefits payable to or in respect of any member by—

(a) making a payment to another funded scheme which provides or is capable of providing long service benefit and of which he is a member or a prospective member, or

(b) the making of one or more payments under policies or contracts of assurance that are effected on behalf of the member with one or more undertakings (within the meaning of the Insurance Act, 1989 ) and that are approved by the Revenue Commissioners under Chapter 1 of Part 30 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 , which policies or contracts of assurance shall not be deemed to be an occupational pension scheme for the purposes of this Act, or

(c) where so prescribed, and in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed, the making of a payment to the trustees, custodians, managers or administrators of an arrangement for the provision of retirement benefits established within the State, not being an arrangement of the kind mentioned in paragraphs (a) or (b),

of an aggregate amount not less than the actuarial value of the benefits payable on the winding up under the rules of the scheme, subject always to subsections (1) and (2).

(4) Nothing in this section requires liabilities for benefits to be discharged before liabilities for expenses, fees and costs associated with the winding up of the scheme.”.