Ms Laura Farrell:

The Retirement Planning Council of Ireland thanks the committee for the invitation. The council was established in 1974. It is a company limited by guarantee and is registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority. The council is not-for-profit, wholly independent of all financial institutions and managed by a voluntary board of directors. The company receives no Government support and relies entirely on the fees we charge employers for sending their employees on our pre-retirement programmes.

We are the country’s leading provider of support, information and guidance to people on the glide path to retirement. Our main activity is the delivery of a two-day pre-retirement course covering a range of financial and lifestyle issues that are likely to impact all retirees. These courses are delivered by industry experts, most of whom are retired from full-time work themselves. The courses are run in Dublin and in various locations around the country. In 2023, the council delivered courses to more than 3,000 retirees.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we must have a full understanding of the needs, requirements, expectations and concerns of our attendees. We carry out regular post-course surveys with our attendees which provide valuable insights and help inform us as an organisation. All course attendees are given access to our specialists for assistance with any retirement issues that may arise at any time in their future.