Overview

• Companies would be allowed to auto-enrol employees with an opt‑out and to offer plans more easily, including via works agreements or by joining sector models negotiated by unions and employer groups.
• The proposal lifts the targeted employer subsidy for low earners to up to €100 per month, with employers able to convert 30% of their contribution into a subsidy for employees earning up to €2,575 monthly and with the threshold indexed to the pension cap.
• Rules for pension funds would be loosened to permit higher‑risk investments in pursuit of better returns, a shift critics say increases exposure for workers.
• The government estimates the package’s tax support will cost roughly €150–155 million per year.
• Coverage has slipped in relative terms, with 18.1 million employees holding an active workplace‑pension claim at end‑2023, equivalent to about 52%.