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GERARDHUGHES
HAVEPERSONALRETIREMENTSAVINGSACCOUNTS
ACHIEVEDTHEIROBJECTIVESINIRELAND?
1
INTRODUCTION
InitsreportAvertingtheOldAgeCrisistheWorldBank(1994)arguedthat
OECDandEasternEuropeaneconomiesandseveralLatinAmericaneconomies
facedimminentproblemswiththeirretirementincomesystems.Itsaidthatthe
publicpillarsofnationalpensionsystemsshouldnotbereliedontosolvethese
problemsashightaxratesarerequiredtofinancethemandtheyinhibitgrowthand
reduceratesofreturntoworkers.Believingthatthepublicpillarwouldbecome
morecostlyinthefuturethereportrecommendedthatthesecountriesshouldmake
thetransitiontoamultipillarsystemwhichwouldincludeaprivatelymanaged,
mandatorypersonalretirementsavingsscheme.
InIrelandthepublicationoftheWorldBankreportcoincidedwithasurveyof
occupationalandpersonalpensioncoverage.Theresultsofthissurveywerepub-
lishedin1996(seeHughesandWhelan,1996).Thereportrevealedthatlessthan
halfofthoseinemploymentandlessthanone-tenthofthosenoteconomically
activewerecoveredbyapensionscheme.Followingpublicationofthesurvey
resultsthePensionsBoardandtheDepartmentofSocial,CommunityandFamily
affairsjointlysponsoredaNationalPensionsPolicyInitiative.Thepurposeofthis
initiativewastofacilitateanationaldebateonhowtodevelopthenationalpension
system.InitsreportSecuringRetirementIncomethePensionsBoard(1998)rec-
ommendedthatalegalframeworkbeputinplacewhichwouldencourageprivate
sectorfinancialinstitutionstointroduceonavoluntarybasisanewtypeofpension
product,thePersonalRetirementSavingsAccount(PRSA).
1IamgratefultoJimStewartofTrinityCollegeDublinandElaineFultzofJMFRe-
searchAssociates,Philadelphiaforcommentsonanearlierdraft.