THE taxation committee has recommended that a single tax relief should be introduced for all pension schemes and has proposed a new retirement savings system similar to the SSIA scheme.

THE bulk of Irish people believe the State, not individuals, should fund their pensions, a survey has found.

IN 2004, a worldwide poll ranking female representation in national politics put Ireland in 63rd position.

SOON-TO-RETIRE workers fearful for their private pension funds have been assured the Government will support them — but only by giving them the standard old-age pension to which they are already entitled.

MORE than 500 quangos — bodies, agencies and task-forces set up at local government level — are eroding democracy by removing councillors from decisions that affect their communities, a think-tank has warned.

CITIES such as Cork, Waterford and Galway face a substantial wait to find out if they will get directly elected mayors with budgetary and planning powers.

TASC - the think tank for action on social change - has welcomed the increases in the old age pension announced in today’s Budget, but criticised the Government's failure to link increases to income in wider society.

THE recent report from the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) that there has been a significant decline in the number of defined benefit pension schemes offered by employers is confirmation of one of the worrying developments in the pensions area.

PUBLIC bodies — with a €13 billion annual spend — are becoming less open and accountable, according to new research.

YOUR readers will be aware from media coverage that the Democratic Audit Ireland research project was launched recently.