Abstract
Gerard Hughes and Michelle Maher provide a succinct summary of the history of the Irish pension system. Focusing on the deepening of economic individualism in line with neoliberal principles of shifting responsibility from the state to private responsibility for social protection, they draw attention to the upside-down nature of redistribution within the Irish pension system. They explore the impact of the financial crisis on pensions in Ireland and consider an alternative policy trajectory of increasing support for the state pension.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Antolin, P., & Stewart, F. (2009). Private pensions and policy responses to the financial and economic crisis, OECD Working paper on insurance and private pensions No. 36.
Arza, C., & Johnson, P. (2006). The development of public pensions from 1889 to the 1990s. In G. Clark, A. Munnell, & J. M. Orszag (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of pensions and retirement income (pp. 52–75). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Blackburn, R. (2006). Age shock, how finance is failing us. London: Verso.
Callan, T., Nolan, B., & Walsh, J. R. (2007). Pension priorities: Getting the balance right? In Budget Perspectives 2008. Dublin: ESRI.
Callan, T., Keane, C., & Walsh, J. R. (2009). Pension policy: New evidence on key issues. Dublin: ESRI.
Casey, B. (2012). The implications of the economic crisis for pensions and pension policy in Europe. Global Social Policy, 12(3), 246–265.
Considine, M. (2012). Increasing the state pension qualification age, pension system reform and the impact of austerity: Ireland in context, Paper presented at the ESPAnet, 6–8 September 2012, University of Edinburgh.
CSO. (2005, December 12). EU survey on income and living conditions 2004 (revised 2003 estimate). http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/eusilc/2004/eusilc_2004.pdf
CSO. (2011, April 21). Quarterly national household survey: Pension provision quarter 4 2009. http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/labourmarket/2009/qnhs_pensionprovisionQ409.pdf
CSO. (2013). Survey on income and living conditions thematic report on the elderly 2004, 2009, 2010 (revised) and 2011. Dublin: CSO.
CSO. (2015). Survey on income and living conditions (SILC) 2013 results. http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/silc/surveyonincomeandlivingconditions2013/#.VcI8VvkgZB9. Accessed 5 Aug 2015.
Deacon, B. (2007). Global social policy and governance. London: Sage.
DSFA. (2007). Green paper on pensions. Dublin: Stationery Office.
DSFA. (2010). National pensions framework. Dublin: Stationary Office.
DSP. (2014). Statistical information of social welfare services 2013. https://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/Social-Stats-AR-2013.pdf. Accessed 19 May 2015.
DSP. (2015). Tánaiste announces package of measures aimed at widening pension coverage and improving consumer confidence in pension system. Press Release 3 Feb 2015. https://www.welfare.ie/en/pressoffice/pdf/pr030215.pdf
Ebbinghaus, B., & Neugschwender, J. (2011). The public-private mix and old age income inequality in Europe. In E. Ebbinghaus (Ed.), The varieties of pension fund governance, pension privatization in Europe (pp. 384–422). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ebbinghaus, B., & Whiteside, N. (2012). Shifting responsibilities in Western Europe pension systems: What future for social models? Global Social Policy, 12(3), 266–282.
EC. (2012). An agenda for adequate, safe and sustainable pensions. Available at http://ec.europa.eu/white-papers/index_en.htm#2012. Accessed 17 Oct 2015.
Eckardt, M. (2005). The open method of coordination on pensions: An economic analysis of its effects on pension reforms. Journal of European Social Policy, 15(3), 247–267.
FitzGerald, J., Bergin, A., Conefrey, T., Diffney, S., Duffy, D., Kearney, I., Lyons, S., Malaguzzi Valeri, L., Mayor, K., & Tol, R. (2008). Medium-term review 2008–2015. Dublin: ESRI.
Ginn, J. (2004). European pension privatisation: Taking account of gender. Social Policy and Society, 3(2), 23–134.
Ginn, J., Daly, M., & Street, D. (2001). Engendering pensions: A comparative framework. In J. Ginn, D. Street, & S. Arber (Eds.), Women work and pensions. International issues and prospects (pp. 1–10). Buckingham: Open University Press.
Green, L. (1993). Concepts of equity in taxation. In A. Maslove (Ed.), Fairness in taxation: Exploring the principles. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Gulec, A. (2014). The politics of pension reform in Greece and Turkey: International institutions as external determinants of adjustments. Global Social Policy, 14(1), 72–90.
Hewitt Associates. (2005). Report on possible state involvement in Second Pillar Provision. In Pensions board report National Pensions Review. Dublin: Pensions Board.
Hill, M. (2007). Pensions. Bristol: Policy Press.
Hughes, G. (1985). Payroll tax incidence, the direct tax burden and the rate of return on state pension contributions in Ireland, Paper 120. Dublin: ESRI.
Hughes, G., & Sinfield, A. (2004). Financing pensions by stealth: The Anglo-American model and the cost and distribution of tax benefits for private pensions. In G. Hughes & J. Stewart (Eds.), Reforming pensions in Europe: Evolution of pension financing and sources of retirement income. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Hughes, G., & Whelan, B. (1996). Occupational and personal pension coverage 1995. Dublin: ESRI.
IAPF. (1975). Submission to the Department of Social Welfare. Available in the National Archives of Ireland. TAOIS/2011/55/2. Accessed 18 Sept 2013.
IAPF. (2013). Pension crisis hits home as ¼ of all defined benefit schemes expected to wind-up in just 12 months. Press Release 1 Oct 2013. https://www.iapf.ie/newspress/iapfpressreleases/2013/default.aspx?iid=508Press
IAPF. (2014). 11.1%: Average employer-employee contribution across defined contribution pension schemes. Press Release 26 May 2014. https://www.iapf.ie/newspress/iapfpressreleases/2014/default.aspx?iid=527
Jefferson, T. (2009). Women and retirement pensions: A research review. Feminist Economics, 15(4), 115–145.
Kenny, P. (2015). Quantitative easing creates new challenges for pension schemes, Irish Times, May 4.
KPMG. (2012). Actuarial review of the Social Insurance Fund 2010. Dublin: DSP.
Minihan, M. (2013). ‘Employers’ group calls for all public sector pensions to be adjusted, Irish Times, February 14.
Murphy, M. P., & McCashin, A. (2008). Pensions: What women want. A model of pensions that guarantees independence. Dublin: NWCI.
Natali, D. (2008). Pensions in Europe, European pensions. The evolution of pension policy at national and supranational level. Brussels: Peter Lang.
OECD. (2008). Economic survey of Ireland 2008. Paris: OECD.
OECD. (2013). Review of the Irish pensions system. Paris: OECD.
OECD. (2015). Social security contributions (indicator). https://data.oecd.org/tax/social-security-contributions.htm. Accessed 17 Oct 2015.
Orenstein, M. A. (2008). Privatizing pensions. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Pensions Board. (1996). National pensions policy initiative. Dublin: Pensions Board.
Pensions Board. (1998). Securing retirement income. Dublin: PB.
Pensions Board. (2000). Annual report and accounts. Dublin: PB.
Pensions Board. (2005). National pensions review. Dublin: PB.
Pensions Authority. (2015). Annual review 2014 & 2015 forward look report. Dublin: Pensions Authority.
Sinfield, A. (1997). Social protection versus tax benefits. In European Institute of Social Security (Ed.), Social protection of the next generation in Europe. The Hague: Kluwer Law International.
Society of Actuaries in Ireland. (2003). Defined contributions plans and PRSAs. Available at https://web.actuaries.ie/press/press-release?page=1. Accessed 17 Oct 2015.
Stewart, J. (2015). Submission on universal retirement savings group for Tasc. http://www.tasc.ie/publications/list/tasc-submission-universal-supplementary-workplace/date. Accessed 15 Aug 2015.
Wall, M. (2014). Cuts to state pension must be considered, Review finds, Irish Times, December 29.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2016 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hughes, G., Maher, M. (2016). Redistribution in the Irish Pension System: Upside Down?. In: Murphy, M., Dukelow, F. (eds) The Irish Welfare State in the Twenty-First Century. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57138-0_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57138-0_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-57137-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-57138-0
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)