April 2020

07Apr

Irish Demand for Social Benefits Soars as Coronavirus Bites

The number of people in Ireland dependent on social welfare income support amidst the coronavirus outbreak has soared to more than 700,000 based on numbers released on Monday by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. On April 3, 507,000 people were paid the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Support payment, which is a weekly stipend of 350 euros ($377.93) for those who have lost jobs or had hours cut due to coronavirus disruption. That was in addition to 207,000...

April 7, 2020
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February 2020

17Feb

Ireland. Community employment workers strike over pensions

Hundreds of community employment scheme supervisors staged a strike over pensions in Dublin yesterday. So-called section 39 workers, whose pay was cut during the recession and was never restored, also joined the protest. Also Read Staff in 74 UK universities start 2-week strike over pensions These are people who work for organisations providing health and social services which are known as section 39 bodies. Community employment (CE) scheme employees and supervisors marched from the Custom House in Dublin to the...

February 17, 2020
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14Feb

Ireland. Hundreds of community employment scheme supervisors to strike

Hundreds of community employment (CE) scheme supervisors are to hold a one-day strike on Friday over access to a pension scheme. The supervisors will join with staff working in organisations providing health and social care services that receive State grant-aid (known as section 39 bodies) at a protest to be held in Dublin on Friday. In addition, section 39 workers are scheduled to take industrial action on February 21st in a dispute over pay restoration. The rally is being...

February 14, 2020
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04Feb

Ireland’s pensions: All set for big changes

This year is set to be pivotal for the Irish pension system. Ambitious plans set out in 2018 are progressing, albeit with problems still to be resolved, while the government is expected to introduce legislation enacting the EU’s IORP II directive – more than a year after the deadline passed in January 2019. Changes to the state pension age are also coming into force, rising from 66 to 67. However, the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) has...

February 4, 2020
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January 2020

24Jan

Ireland. Short-term election promises on pensions will not solve a long-term problem

he Government’s intention to increase the age of payment of the State pension from 66 to 67 in 2021 and to 68 in 2028, is giving rise to much discussion as we head for the polls on February 8th. Some of the commentary is poorly informed, but understandably worry and even anger are being expressed by those most affected – particularly people who are contractually obliged to retire at age 65, or those whose work is so physically demanding...

January 24, 2020
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23Jan

Pensions will win the election in Ireland

Longstanding plans to increase Ireland's statutory retirement age and the knock-on effects on pension payments have become an unexpected issue ahead of the Feb. 8 election, putting the government on the back foot. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar called the election last week, but a pitch putting his diplomatic successes on Brexit at the center of the campaign has fallen flat with an electorate more concerned about deficits in housing and healthcare. The issue of pensions has dominated the campaign...

January 23, 2020
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21Jan

Ireland. Restoring pension age to 65 would cost €620m a year, claims FF

Pulling plans to increase the State pension age will cost the incoming government up to €470 million a year, according to Government’s own figures, Fianna Fáil has said. And there will be a further €150 million bill annually if a transition pension is put in place to cover those forced out of their jobs at 65, the party’s spokesman on social protection Willie O’Dea said. The comments come as political parties come under pressure from voters over plans to...

January 21, 2020
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November 2019

11Nov

Ireland. Eldercare can be a double whammy for working women

Recently my colleagues at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) presented research results on the gender pension gap in Ireland. The research, sponsored by the Pensions Council, which advises government on pension policy, showed a gap of 35 per cent between the pensions of men and women. It also showed that this gap is driven by differences in access to occupational pensions. Subsequently, other ESRI colleagues presented research on older workers in Ireland. The Health and Safety Authority...

November 11, 2019
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07Nov

Ireland. Quarter of people ‘can’t afford’ to save for retirement

Concern about cost is the main factor holding people back from starting a pension. Other factors include the expense of raising a family, with people also stating they feel they are too young to save for retirement, according to research commissioned by Bank of Ireland. It comes as the Government has firmed up some of the detail on a new auto-enrolment pension to be launched for around 600,000 workers from 2022. Some six out of 10 workers in the...

November 7, 2019
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05Nov

Ireland. ‘700,000 to miss out’ on auto-enrol pension plan

Thousands of people are set to lose out on the State's new auto-enrolment pension scheme, which is already being heavily criticised for being years behind schedule. Read also Ireland. Quarter of people ‘can’t afford’ to save for retirement Pension consultants Mercer said around 700,000 people who should be opted into the new system look set to be excluded. Read also Ireland. Plans to auto-enrol workers in pension schemes announced The scheme is not due to be launched for another two...

November 5, 2019
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