This case was brought by employees of Waterford Wedgewood Limited following their employer’s insolvency. It concerned the protection of employees’ occupational pensions in the event of the insolvency of their employer and, anterior to this, on the failure of the Irish government to transpose fully into Irish law the Insolvency Directive, a measure designed to offer just such protection.

On 5 January 2009, a Receiver was appointed to Waterford Wedgwood Ltd. On 7 January 2009, the Receiver notified the trustees of the firm’s two staff pension schemes that Waterford Wedgewood Ltd. would not be making further contributions to the schemes. On 31 March 2009, both pension schemes were wound up, each with a significant deficit. In March 2010, the