The Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024 (the Act) provides enhanced protections for employees in insolvency situations.

Responsible Person

The High Court recently delivered a significant and precedent-setting decision in the matter of MAC-Interiors Limited [2023] IEHC 395 on the jurisdiction of the Irish courts to appoint an examiner to a foreign-registered company.

A precedent decision

There are certain circumstances where liquidators can be held personally liable for costs orders made in proceedings taken by them.

Under the so called “Ballyrider Principles[1]”:

A recent Court of Appeal decision held that receivers are statutorily obliged to discharge preferential costs from assets available after deducting costs and expenses of a receiverirst line

The issue

Background

The Corporate Enforcement Authority (“CEA”) has issued its first information note of 2023 on the topic of the European Union (Preventative Restructuring) Regulations 2022 (the “Regulations”) which came into effect on 27 July 2022 (the “Information Note”).

DO YOUR DIRECTORS HAVE SUFFICIENT TOOLS AVAILABLE TO ALERT THEM TO CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD INDICATE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN A COMPANY AND ASSIST THEM IN ANY FUTURE RESTRUCTURING DECISIONS?

Good Financial tools will enhance Directors' understanding the company's financial position and alert them to any early signs of potential financial difficulties.

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

The High Court (Court) has appointed an inspector to investigate the affairs of a company following the first recorded application by a creditor, under Section 747 of the Companies Act 2014 (Act).

The Facts

The applicant, a creditor of WFS Forestry Ireland Limited (Company), and at least seventeen others, claimed that investments they made in the Company, in the form of loans and other advances, were not repaid when due.

The director of an insolvent company appealed a restriction order made against him. The order prevented the appellant from acting as a company director or secretary for a 5-year period under section 819 of the Companies Act 2014 (the “2014 Act”). The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal as the appellant failed to satisfy the court that he acted responsibly in the conduct of the company’s affairs.

Introduction

Ruairi Rynn and Leanne Ennis, William Fry

This is an extract from the 2022 edition of GRR's Europe, Middle East and Africa Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.

In summary