Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the details of the consultants his Department employed to conduct a marketing campaign to persuade more persons to take out PRSAs; when this campaign was launched and when it concluded or will conclude; the total cost of this campaign; the success of this campaign in terms of the number of new PRSAs opened and as a percentage increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22932/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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In its report Securing Retirement Income, published in May 1998, the Pensions Board recommended that the Government should, as part of the overall pensions strategy, run a pension awareness campaign. The campaign was initially launched in 2003 to coincide with the implementation of the Pensions (Amendment) Act 2002 which encompassed many of the recommendations of Securing Retirement Income, including personal retirement savings accounts or PRSAs. The Pensions Board runs the campaign on behalf of my Department.

The focus of the campaign is to raise awareness about pensions issues with a view to improving overall pensions coverage. A secondary objective is to ensure that those with pensions coverage are making adequate contributions to ensure a satisfactory income in retirement. While PRSAs are an important part of the overall pensions strategy, the awareness campaign is not focused exclusively on these but rather on pensions provision in general, including occupational schemes and other types of personal pensions provision.

A total of €500,000 was allocated to the campaign each year since 2003 to fund Pensions Board administration costs, media delivery costs, production costs and management fees. The board also intensified some of its normal communication and information work to support the campaign. The board has engaged a number of consultants over the three years to assist with the planning and delivery of the campaign, including Financial Dynamics, Owens DDB and Q4 Public Relations Consultants.

The campaign involves an integrated advertising and public relations programme using TV, radio, newspapers, on-line facilities, posters and direct mail. Special promotions have also been built around occasions such as the Ploughing Championships. The main event for this year's campaign was held in May, when the Pensions Board ran a successful pensions action week in co-operation with pension providers. Further PR opportunities are being considered for the rest of the year.

Since their introduction in 2003, some 51,000 personal retirement savings accounts have been opened. Pensions coverage in general has shown a marginal improvement over the last couple of years to 52.4% of the working population while in the key target group, those aged 30 years and over, coverage has reached 59.1%. In terms of pensions awareness, the campaign has been successful in bringing the pensions message to the general public. Consumer awareness research audits show a positive increase in pensions and PRSA awareness from 60% at the end of 2003 to over 70% at the end of last year.

In terms of the future of the campaign, I have asked the Pensions Board to review our overall pensions strategy and I expect to receive a full report on the current position and the possible options for the future in September. Public awareness will be an important element of any new planned initiative. I am also conscious of the opportunities which the maturing of SSIAs next year offer in the context of kick starting pension provision for many people. I will look at a continuation of the campaign in that context.