Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed)

2:00 am

Dr. Tom McDonnell:

We do not have a particularly good history in this regard. The SSIA was unfortunate in its timing, perhaps, but it did add to the boom. Ultimately, what we want to do, and what other countries such as the United Kingdom are trying to do at the moment, is to find ways to leverage pension funds to support equity stakes in high-potential start-ups coming out of the university system. Looking at ways to do that so the money is funnelled into future Irish companies, there is certainly scope to look at-----