Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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649. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who has a private pension scheme through their employment would be able to qualify for the Government contribution part of the auto-enrolment pension scheme from January 2026, when the new pension scheme comes into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60984/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System. The aim of introducing AE is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement income. The new system - to be known as My Future Fund - will commence from 1 January 2026. The implementation of My Future Fund will pave the way for around 800,000 workers to be brought into a retirement savings scheme for the first time and I look forward to its implementation.

My Future Fund is designed to complement rather than replace existing retirement savings provision. Employees who are already enrolled in a qualifying occupational scheme, PRSA, trust RAC or a PEPP and who pay their contributions through payroll will be exempt from My Future Fund. Such employees will not qualify for the direct State top-up contribution of €1 for every €3 that a participant in My Future Fund will be provided with when they save for their retirement. Instead, the financial incentive that contributors to qualifying occupational pension schemes, PRSAs, trust RAC or a PEPP benefit from is provided through income tax relief on pension contributions, which is given at their marginal rate of income tax.

I hope that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.