How to apply to become an AI
The Personal Insolvency Act 2012 (Authorisation of Approved Intermediaries) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 216 of 2013) set out the qualification criteria and authorisation requirements that must be met for a person or class of person to carry on the practice of an Approved Intermediary.
Criteria
Before the Insolvency Service (ISI) can authorise an individual as an Approved Intermediary, the applicant must be able to demonstrate to the ISI:
- that he or she has relevant experience in the provision of financial advice to persons in arrears;
- that he or she has completed a course of study and passed an exam in relation to the law and practice in the State relating to the insolvency of individuals and in relation to the Act.
- The applicant must be also able to demonstrate to the ISI that he or she has, or has access to, adequate resources to carry on the practice of an Approved Intermediary.
- In the case of a body corporate, they must have at least one individual who meets the criteria above.
- Approved Intermediaries must be independent, competent and capable. They must also be honest, ethical and act with integrity.
An Approved Intermediary will be dealing with people in vulnerable situations. As such, they will be expected to have the necessary people, communication, judgement and negotiation skills.
What you need to know to carry out your role as an Approved Intermediary
The ISI would expect that on completion of a course which meets the requirements of the ISI, a prospective Approved Intermediary should be in a position to:
- Understand the role of the authorisation process and the regulations applicable to the Approved Intermediary;
- Analyse an individuals' financial position to assess income and expenditure and calculate disposable income, value assets and liabilities and consider the implications of contingent liabilities such as third party guarantees for loans;
- Assess reasonable living expenses;
- Comprehend and be in a position to compare and contrast the different debt relief processes, including bankruptcy and any other options that may be available to debtors;
- Advise the debtor as to his or her eligibility for debt relief and recommend the appropriate debt relief arrangement, if any, for his or her circumstances and explain clearly the reasons for the recommendations;
- Effectively explain to debtors the procedures and terminology used in the debt relief process;
- Correctly interpret and complete the documentation and procedures to be used in the insolvency process;
- Comprehend the structure and functions of the ISI;
- Engage appropriately with the ISI;
- Understand the role of the Courts in the personal insolvency process.
If you intend to make an application to become an Approved Intermediary
You should first make yourself familiar with the requirements set out in the The Personal Insolvency Act 2012 (Authorisation of Approved Intermediaries) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 216 of 2013)
How to make an application
You will need to log in to the ISI’s portal system here which is supported by Chrome and Firefox and create an account which will allow you to complete the application form online. The portal is designed to deliver a secure communication channel between the ISI and Approved Intermediaries.
If a question does not apply to you, you should state ‘not applicable’ or ‘N/A’. Do not leave any blank spaces.
You shall inform the ISI of any changes to the information provided in the application form during the application process.
The ISI will NOT commence the processing of any application if it is not complete in all respects. Applications will be treated as incomplete unless all questions raised in the application form are fully answered and all applicable supporting documentation has been received by the ISI. Incomplete applications may be returned to you as invalid.
Apply
To apply to be an Approved Intermediary click here
Please note that the links are supported by Chrome and Firefox browsers and that it can take up to thirty minutes to receive your account activation notice, once you have registered.
How to contact us
If you have any queries in relation to the application form, or other Regulation queries please contact: us through the online messaging option.
Or
Telephone: 01 764 4200
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are working remotely - please email info@isi.gov.ie with any queries.
