Auto-enrolment heralds a better, fairer pension — but with some issues still to iron out 

Ireland's retirement landscape will change significantly once around 750,000 people are auto-enrolled into pensions, as financial advice experts explain to Rita de Brún

The Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) warns that the Government's planned 6% employer contributions — once the pensions auto-enrolment scheme matures — is twice the employer contribution rate in the UK and will create competition issues, particularly close to the border with Northern Ireland. Pictured are Elaine Dunne, secretary, ISME, Marc O'Dwyer, chair, ISME, and Neil McDonnell, CEO, ISME.

Auto-enrolment (AE) is coming to Ireland next year. When it does, the new occupational pensions regime will introduce mandatory retirement savings for the first time, creating an estimated 750,000 new pension savers in the process.

That’s good news for sure, but AE is expected to do more. It’s expected to create a pension system in Ireland that is better and fairer for all.