The Pensions Board at Ploughing Championship 2007
Monday 24 September 2007: The Pensions Board will attend the National Ploughing Championships at Annaharvey Farm, Tullamore, Co. Offaly from Tuesday 25, until Thursday 27, September to provide pensions information for visitors at this major event. A key target of the National Pensions Action Campaign is to build positive pensions awareness within the agricultural sector and rural communities where there are low levels of pension coverage.
Pension coverage figures show that the pension coverage rate decreases as you move out from the key urban centers. According to the CSO, Quarterly National Household Survey, January 2006 update, pension coverage rates for the Mid-East are at 57.7% (Kildare, Meath and Wicklow) dropping down to as low as 43.3% in the West (Mayo, Roscommon, Galway City and County).
David Malone, Head of Information Services at the Pensions Board explains: “This rural-urban difference is due significantly to the increased levels of part-time, seasonal and contract working patterns, particularly among women. Also, there is a higher level of employment dependency on the hospitality, retail and farming sectors where traditionally pension coverage levels are low.”
Mr. Malone added: “Less than 16% (CSO Survey 2005) of those working in the agricultural industries including farming, catering and tourism and working seasonal and part-time have private pensions. These low coverage rates need to be addressed if those living in rural areas are to ensure they have made adequate provision for their retirement.”
The Pensions Board will have an information stand at the Ploughing Championships, situated in the Dolmen - Education and Business Arcade, Stand No. 556. The Board is also running a competition to promote pensions action, in partnership with Macra Na Feirme offering the prize of a mountain bike at the event. All participants have to do is fill out the entry form available at the Macra or Pensions Board stands, answer five simple questions and return by 1pm, Thursday, September 27 to enter the draw.
Go to The Pensions Board online calculator.Read information booklets.
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For Media Enquiries please contact:
David Malone
Head of Information Services
The Pensions Board Tel (01) 613 1900
Aongus Horgan
Assistant Head of Information Services
The Pensions Board Tel (01) 613 1900
Jackie Gallagher
Q4 Public Relations Tel (01) 475 1444/ 087- 2371838
Notes:
About the Pensions Board
The Pensions Board is the statutory body set up to regulate occupational pension schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) and to advise the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, and through him, the Government, on overall pension policy development.
