Pension Fund Statistics – Q1 2021

Publication Date: 1 July 2021

Key Points

Total asset values of the Irish pension fund sector grew by 1 per cent over Q1-2021 to stand at €127.5 billion. Increases in pension fund reserves (€1.18 billion), equity (€370 million) and financial derivatives (€323 million) accounted for the majority of asset growth. [1] Pension fund reserves continue to be the largest asset holding of Irish pension funds, standing at €50.41 billion.
Total liabilities at end-Q1 2021 stood at €136.1 billion. The sector has remained in deficit over the course of the series, with the total liabilities exceeding assets for defined benefit pension funds.
Total memberships of the sector were 1.37 million at end-2020. This can be broken down across 578,000 active members, 690,000 deferred members and 103,000 retired members. [2] The total number of members under DB and DC pension funds are split at 46 per cent (625,000) and 54 per cent (745,000), respectively.

[1] Pension fund reserves are primarily composed of unit linked insurance products.

[2] An active member is a pension scheme member who is making contributions and is accumulating assets or has accrued assets in the past and is not yet retired. A deferred member is a pension scheme member who no longer contributes to or accrues benefits from the scheme but has not yet begun to receive retirement benefits from that scheme. A retired member is a pension scheme member who no longer contributes to or accrues benefits from the scheme and has begun to receive retirement benefits from that scheme.