Feb 2018
2
Auto enrolment to hit Ireland
Ireland looks to follow in the footsteps of the UK and introduce a workplace pension reform by 2021. The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar announced that Ireland is planning an auto enrolment pension system that would see all employees enrolled into a workplace pension scheme by their employers. While details are still being finalised it is likely that Ireland will replicate many of the processes that were rolled out by the UK.
Similar to the UK, Irish employees are not saving enough for their retirement. To combat this, the Irish government wants employers and employees to contribute towards a workplace pension scheme to prepare for retirement.
Varadkar states:
“This issue has been long-fingered for too long, and now that the economy is recovering strongly we must act decisively, and we will publish a five-year roadmap for pension reform before the end of the year. This will include the introduction of an auto-enrolment pension scheme for private sector workers, two-thirds of whom currently have no occupational pension to supplement their State pension.”
Certain Irish employer groups are opposing the move for auto enrolment citing the administrative and financial burdens it will create. The concept is being driven by the fact that the Irish government will not be able to support the growing aging Irish population into retirement. Auto enrolment is an effective retirement strategy that will increase employees savings towards a more financially secure retirement.
The auto enrolment concept has been hugely successful and proved in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. The aim of a pension reform will allow every employee access to a workplace pension scheme that is provided by their employer by law.
Written by Karen Bennett | BrightPay Payroll Software
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