STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS

S.I. No. 556 of 2006 .

REGULATIONS

entitled

Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations 2006

Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations 2006

The Financial Services Ombudsman Council, in exercise of the powers conferred on the Council by Sections 57BE and 57BF of the Central Bank Act 1942 (as inserted by the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2004 ) and with the consent of the Minister for Finance, hereby makes the following regulations:

1.   These Regulations may be cited as the Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations 2006.

2.   The Schedule to S.I. No. 828 of 2005 - Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations (No. 3) 2005- is hereby amended by the substitution therefor of the Schedule to these Regulations.

Given under the seal of the Financial Services Ombudsman Council

7^th November 2006.

Dr Con Power

Chairperson

Financial Services Ombudsman Council,

Lincoln House

Lincoln Place

Dublin 2.

SCHEDULE

Category A

Credit Institutions

Each credit institution shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy calculated at the rate of €0.123 per retail customer as at 30 June 2006. A minimum levy of €500 is payable by each credit institution.

Category B

Insurance Undertakings

(a)  Each life assurance undertaking shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of 0.014% of its total gross premium income, but excluding Class V11 premium income, written on Irish risk business as stated in the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority Insurance Statistical Review 2005. A minimum levy of €500 is payable by each life assurance undertaking.

(b)  Each non-life insurance undertaking shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of 0.027% of its total gross premium income written on Irish risk business as stated in the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority Insurance Statistical Review 2005. A minimum levy of €500 is payable by each non-life insurance undertaking.

Category C

Credit Unions

Each credit union shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of 0.0027% of its total assets as at 30 September 2005 as supplied to the Bureau by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. A minimum levy of €150 is payable by each credit union.

Category D

Intermediaries - Including Investment Product Intermediaries, Insurance Intermediaries and Mortgage Intermediaries who hold authorisations under the Consumer Credit Act 1995 .

Each intermediary shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy calculated on the basis of the amounts levied in S.I. No. 828 of 2005 - Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations (No. 3) 2005. A minimum levy of €125 is payable by each intermediary.

Category E

Investment Business Firms (other than Investment Product Intermediaries), Collective Investment Schemes and other service providers, and Exchanges -

Including designated fund managers; entities engaged in the receipt and transmission of orders and/or the provision of investment advice; entities engaged in portfolio management and the execution of orders; entities engaged in own account trading and underwriting; Stock Exchange member firms; authorised unit trusts, authorised investment companies, and authorised investment limited partnerships; agency fund managers; service providers (manager/administrator and/or trustee) to collective investment schemes; approved stock exchanges; and financial futures and options exchanges.

Each of these financial service providers shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy calculated on the basis of amounts levied in S.I. No. 828 of 2005 - Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations (No. 3) 2005. A minimum levy of €750 is payable by each provider.

Category F

Moneylenders

Each approved moneylender shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy calculated on the basis of amounts levied in S.I. No. 828 of 2005 - Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations (No. 3) 2005. A minimum levy of €125 is payable by each moneylender.

Category G

Approved Professional Bodies

Each approved professional body shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy calculated on the basis of amounts levied in S.I. No. 828 of 2005 - Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman Council) Levies and Fees Regulations (No. 3) 2005. A minimum levy of €750 is payable by each body.

Category H

Bureaux de Change

Each bureau de change shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of €300.

Category I

Money Transmission Service Providers and E-Money Providers

Each provider shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of €300.

Category J

Voluntary Health Insurance Board

The Board shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of 0.027% of total gross premium income for the year ended 31 December 2005.

Category K

Pawnbrokers

Each authorised pawnbroker shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of €125.

Category L

Other Regulated Financial Service Providers

Each financial service provider as prescribed in Regulation 2(a), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of S.I. No. 191 of 2005 - Central Bank Act 1942 (Financial Services Ombudsman) Regulations 2005- shall pay, in respect of its liability for the year ended 31 December 2007, a levy of €200. Intermediaries already included under Category D and mortgage lenders and hire purchase concerns that also operate as credit institutions are not covered by this category.

Category M

All Other Regulated Entities

Where the Bureau is required to investigate a complaint against any other regulated entity during the year ended 31 December 2007, that entity will be required to pay a flat rate levy contribution of €750 per complaint.

Category N

Default Assessments

Each regulated entity falling within Regulation 9(d) shall pay a flat rate levy contribution of €3,600.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

These Regulations made by the Financial Services Ombudsman Council in accordance with Sections 57BE and 57BF of the Central Bank Act 1942 (as amended) amend the Central Bank Act 1942 -Financial Services Ombudsman Council)- Levies and Fees Regulations (No.3) 2006 (S.I. No. 828 of 2006) and provide for a scheme of levies on regulated entities to fund the operation of the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau for the year ended 31 December 2007.