Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of workers here who are estimated to be without a pension. [17255/06]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if pension action week is to be an annual event. [17256/06]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of additional workers he expects to sign up or his Department has targeted to sign up for pensions following pension action week. [17257/06]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the work which is being done to reform the pensions system to ensure more workers sign up for pensions. [17259/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 254, 255, 256 and 258 together.

The National Pensions Policy Initiative, published in 1998, suggested that 70% of those at work who are 30 years of age and over require a supplementary pension to ensure that they can maintain their standard of living in retirement. The most recent figures from the Quarterly National Household Survey (CSO) show that in the first quarter of 2005 58.6% of this key target group had a supplementary pension. The coverage figure for all those at work was 51.5%. Because of slow progress being made towards our overall targets in the pensions area, in early 2005 I asked the Pensions Board to undertake the National Pensions Review and this was published on 17th January 2006. In its report on the review the Board reaffirmed the various targets recommended in the original National Pensions Policy Initiative including a supplementary pensions coverage rate of 70% for those aged 30 years and over.

The Pensions Board is working towards achieving this 70% target in all of its promotional activity, including National Pensions Action Week, which took place last week. A pensions awareness, or action week, has been a regular event since 2003 when it was first launched as part of the National Pensions Awareness Campaign to support the introduction of Personal Retirement Savings Accounts. The campaign in general has been successful in raising awareness in relation to pensions issues and in generating debate in this very important area.

The need for an awareness campaign and action week will be kept under review having regard to the progress made in meeting overall coverage targets and the direction of future Government policy in this area. There is no doubt that the pensions system will require reform if we are to reach our targets. The Pensions Board in its report has recommended enhancements to the current voluntary system as it considers that it has the potential to deliver significant improvements in coverage. Essentially these suggestions involve using the successful elements of the SSIA system in a pensions context by converting the tax relief provided for personal pensions to a matching contribution.

With the right incentives, the voluntary system can deliver improved pensions coverage. In this regard, I welcome the measures brought forward by the Minister for Finance to provide incentives for those on lower incomes to invest their SSIA savings in pensions. The extent to which these initiatives are successful in encouraging pensions savings may give some indication of the likely attitude of the public to the more general suggestions made by the Pensions Board in this area. However, no truly voluntary pensions system has delivered the sort of coverage rates for which we are aiming and if we are to achieve our overall targets we may have to consider a more radical approach. In this regard, I have asked the Pensions Board to explore in more detail the ideas for a mandatory or quasi-mandatory system it put forward in its report on the National Pensions Review. I have asked the Pensions Board to suggest and cost a system it considers suitable for Irish conditions and to submit a report to me which I expect to have by the end of next month.

The Pensions Board report on the National Pensions Review requires serious debate and analysis before we decide finally on the type of retirement we want for our older people and the contribution we will make during our working lives to that future. To further that debate I convened the National Pensions Forum on the 5th May to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to debate the issues raised in the Review and to air their views on the best approach to take. The Government will make decisions in relation to the way forward as soon as possible. The inputs to the Pensions Forum and the further work I have asked the Pensions Board to undertake in the area of mandatory pensions will inform these decisions.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the membership of the Pensions Board. [17258/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The new Pensions Board took up office from 21st December 2005 for a five year period. The full membership of the board is: