The Insolvency (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2008

Amendments to the principal Rules

4.  In Rule 4.228 (general rule as to priority),

(a) in paragraph (1) for the words “The expenses of the liquidation” at the beginning of that paragraph, to and including the words “by the official receiver” at the end of sub-paragraph (a)(iii), substitute the following—

“All fees, costs, charges and other expenses incurred in the course of the liquidation are to be regarded as expenses of the liquidation.

(2) The expenses of the liquidation are payable out of—

(a) assets of the company available for the payment of general creditors, which shall be taken to include proceeds—

(i) of any legal action which the liquidator has power to bring in his own name or in the name of the company; or

(ii) arising from any award made under any arbitration or other dispute resolution procedure which the liquidator has power to bring in his own name or in the name of the company;

which shall, for the purposes of this sub-paragraph, also include—

(iii) any payments made under any compromise or other agreement intended to avoid legal action or recourse to arbitration or to any other dispute resolution procedure; and

(iv) payments made as a result of a settlement of any such action, arrangement or procedure in lieu of or prior to any judgement being given or award being made;

(b) subject as provided in Rules 4.228A to 4.228E, property comprised in or subject to a floating charge created by the company.

(3) Subject as provided in Rules 4.228A to 4.228E, the expenses are payable in the following order of priority—

(a) expenses which—

(i) are properly chargeable or incurred by the provisional liquidator in carrying out the functions conferred on him by the court;

(ii) are properly chargeable or incurred by the official receiver or the liquidator in preserving, realising or getting in any of the assets of the company or otherwise in the preparation or conduct of any legal proceedings, arbitration or other dispute resolution procedures, which he has power to bring in his own name or bring or defend in the name of the company or in the preparation or conduct of any negotiations intended to lead or leading to a settlement or compromise of any legal action or dispute to which the proceedings or procedures relate;

(iii) relate to the employment of a shorthand writer, if appointed by an order of the court made at the instance of the official receiver in connection with an examination; or

(iv) are incurred in holding an examination under Rule 4.224 (examinee unfit) where the application for it was made by the official receiver;”.

(b) Delete paragraph (2).

(c) After new paragraph (3) insert new paragraph (4).

“(4) Sub-paragraphs (a)(iii) and (la) of paragraph (3) shall apply to the costs of a mechanical recording as they apply to the costs of a shorthand writer.”.