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Policy issues concerning Pension

What do pension tax reliefs actually achieve?

11th September 2019

Pension-related tax reliefs are an expensive means of subsidising retirement savings for the better off, with little financial benefit to the State. The current system has a very high fiscal cost, yet is currently failing to meet its targets in relation to coverage and income adequacy. In this article, we show that the arguments in favour of continuing this perverse incentive system do not stack up. There is no fiscal benefit to the exchequer in either the short or the long term.

Why welfare rates must increase by €9 in Budget 2020

5th July 2019

Social Justice Ireland makes the case for an increase in core social welfare rates of €9 per week for single people in Budget 2020 to ensure the welfare benchmark is maintained at the Pre-Budget Forum in Dublin Castle.

Pension Reform in Ireland

31st May 2019

The Irish Pension system is in need of significant reform. Unfortunately policymakers have limited the scope of this reform to introducing Automatic Enrolment and very little else. In any format and by any measure, Auto Enrolment will greatly increase the (already significant) cost to the Exchequer of a private system that is failing to achieve its goals.A forthcoming conference, organised by the Pension Policy Research Group, will look at aspects of Auto Enrolment and the implications for the Irish pension system.

A Universal State Pension would ensure fairness for Carers

17th January 2019

Society should reward people who have spent their lives in caring roles, but the current State Pension system deprives them of security in their old age. As the rollout of the Government’s Roadmap for Pensions Reform continues, an opportunity to increase the fairness of the Irish pension system is being missed, and at a substantial financial cost.

Government income tax proposals are unjust and unfair

3rd October 2017

Some tax proposals currently being considered by Government should be rejected because they would give far greater benefit to people earning higher incomes than to lower income employees according to a new study conducted by Social Justice Ireland.

The case for increasing welfare rates in Budget 2017

22nd July 2016

Without the social welfare system almost 50 per cent of the Irish population would have been living in poverty in 2014.  Adequate social welfare payments are required to prevent an increase in poverty.  Between 2010 and early 2016 inflation was 3.44 per cent - implying that a buying power of €188 in 2010 was equivalent to €194.50 by February 2016. 

Gender Gap remains in global labour market

8th March 2016

Despite some modest gains in some regions in the world, millions of women are losing ground in their quest for equality in the world of work, according to a new report prepared by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The report, Women at Work: Trends 2016  examined data for up to 178 countries and concludes that inequality between women and men persists across a wide spectrum of the global labour market.

Pension Council should consider Universal State Pension for Ireland

3rd February 2015

The introduction of a Universal State Pension for Ireland should be considered by the Pension Council announced today by the Tanaiste, Joan Burton TD. A fully-costed proposal showing how this could be done has been published by Social Justice Ireland. This proposal would:

Social Justice Ireland calls for a Universal State Pension

14th January 2015

Social Justice Ireland strongly urges the Government to put the think tank’s fully-costed proposal for a universal State pension for every person aged over 65 on the table for discussion. The call comes as the Department of Social Protection plans to set up an expert group to examine a retirement savings scheme for private sector workers.

Full text of Social Justice Ireland's Study on Universal Pension for Ireland

3rd March 2010

Ireland could and should have a Universal Pension for everyone over 65. it could be paid for principally by standard rating the current tax-break for private pensions. More than 80% of benefit of the current tax break goes to the 20% with highest earnings. A Universal Pension would be simpler, fairer and more just as well as being sustainable in the decades ahead.

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