Section 10 – Termination of interim trustee’s functions
39.This section inserts new sections 13A and 13B into the 1985 Act.
New section 13A – Termination of interim trustee’s functions where not appointed as trustee
40.Section 13A provides for the termination of an interim trustee’s functions when a sequestration petition is dismissed or sequestration is awarded and someone other than the interim trustee is appointed as trustee in sequestration. The interim trustee must, within 3 months of the determination of the petition, submit his or her accounts along with any claim for remuneration to the AiB for audit (this does not apply under section 13B where the AiB is the interim trustee). The interim trustee is also obliged to circulate copies of the accounts to the debtor, the creditors and the new trustee. All of these people are permitted to appeal to the sheriff against the AiB’s determination fixing the fees and outlays payable to the interim trustee.
41.The sheriff may make such determination of who is liable for the fees and outlays of the interim trustee appointed under section 2(5) of the 1985 Act as may be appropriate, with the determination of that amount to be by AiB, whose decision is final.
42.The amendments of the 1985 Act made by schedule 1 to this Act mean that there would be no mechanism for discharging interim trustees, within the new meaning of that term. Sections 13A(6) to (11) provide that mechanism.
43.Subsections (11), (12), (13) and (14) of section 13A clarify what happens when the AiB grants, or refuses to grant, a discharge to an interim trustee. The debtor, the creditors, the interim trustee or the new trustee can appeal to the sheriff against the decision of the AiB. If the appeal is successful the sheriff can order the AiB to either issue a certificate of discharge that has been refused, or withdraw one that has been granted.
New section 13B – Termination of Accountant in Bankruptcy’s functions as interim trustee where not appointed as trustee
44.New section 13B of the 1985 Act is similar to section 13A but caters for the case where the AiB was the interim trustee but does not become the replacement trustee when sequestration is awarded.