News

Pensions Council

The Society of Actuaries in Ireland welcomes the Tánaiste’s announcement of the membership of the Pensions Council. 

The Council’s function is to advise the Minister for Social Protection on matters of pensions policy.  Including Brendan Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Pensions Authority, the twelve-person Council includes five of the Society’s Fellow members – the others being Roma Burke, Tony Gilhawley, Sandra Rockett and Dr Shane Whelan – each of whom has a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience to offer. 

EIOPA’s latest report maps out the available choices that members of occupational DC pension schemes have in the European context regarding investment in their retirement plans. The report highlights the main issues that national supervisors strive to address in order to ensure the making of effective investment decisions (where effective investment decisions are defined as decisions made in the interest of members, working towards ensuring a sustainable level of pension income).

The Society has today issued a press release welcoming the Government’s decision to establish an expert group to formulate plans for a universal retirement savings scheme for private-sector workers. 

The Society has responded to the Central Bank of Ireland’s (“the Central Bank”) Consultation Paper 89. This consultation paper sets out proposals in relation to reporting templates which the Central Bank deems necessary to address requirements specific to the local market and/or the nature of insurance undertakings supervised in Ireland and which are not catered for in the set of Solvency II harmonised reporting templates being developed by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA).

On the 18th of November, Gabriel Bernardino, Chairman of EIOPA, gave a speech at the 9th European Pension Funds Congress in Frankfurt. He stated that “The percentage of the EU population that is covered by decent pension systems is still too low. We are indeed facing an EU pension’s landscape in need of reforms.”

In July 2014, the Pensions Authority issued a consultation on Financial Management Guidelines of defined benefit pension schemes. The consultation paper can be viewed here.

On 10th October 2014, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Act containing implementing rules for Solvency II. This will enter into force once the European Parliament and Council have both approved it, following their scrutiny, for which a maximum period of 6 months can be taken.

In July 2014, the Pensions Authority issued a consultation on Financial Management Guidelines of defined benefit pension schemes. The consultation paper can be viewed here.

The Society has responded to the Discussion Paper on Risk Appetite issued by the Central Bank of Ireland recently. 

Earlier this year, the European Commission published a proposal for an updated IORP Directive.  The original IORP was published in 2003 and transposed into Irish law in September 2005. In summary, the current proposals aim to give greater protection of the pension rights of scheme members and beneficiaries. 

The Society has responded to the Department of Justice and Equality consultation on Legislation on Periodic Payment Orders. Details of the Society’s response are available here

The Pensions Authority is holding a Public Consultation Forum on Financial Management Guidelines for defined benefit schemes. The forum will be relevant to trustees, scheme members, providers, managers, advisers and other interested stakeholders.