Ireland has highest rate of people in ‘retirement poverty risk’

IRELAND has the highest rate of people at risk of poverty in retirement of any of the EU states — and the Government can expect a high level of public disquiet as that reality becomes more and more apparent over the coming years.

That is according to SIPTU vice-president Brendan Hayes, speaking at the union’s south west region conference in Killarney over the weekend.

“The problem is that the Government, and particularly the Department of Finance, has refused to engage in any serious way in addressing the fundamental issues that face people about the provision of pensions,” said Mr Hayes.