Quick summary Ireland’s new pension auto-enrolment (AE) system will begin on 1 January 2026. Employees aged 23–60 earning over €20,000 and not in a pension scheme will be automatically enrolled. Employee, employer, and government contributions will start at 1.5%, increasing to 6% over 10 years. Contributions are capped at €80,000 annual salary, with no tax relief on employee payments. Workers can opt out between months 6–8 but will be re-enrolled every two years if still eligible.
