Hi Reader,

As your workplace benefit provision partner, we are on a mission to keep you up to date on everything you need to know about the world of pensions, right when you need to know it.

In this update, you'll find lots of recent and upcoming key highlights: 

• Upcoming IAPF Conference: Irish Life's own Shane O'Farrell will share insights about Creating Value-Driven Auto-enrolment Experiences for Employees
• New Income Protection Insights Report: The trends surrounding €75.5m employee claims paid in 2024
• Pensions Authority reaffirms strength of EMPOWER Master Trust after Supervisory Review Process (SRP)
• We recently celebrated a 10 year anniversary of the EMPOWER Multi Asset Funds
• ...and more!

You can access your highlights and more on your dedicated HUB. Or you can always reach out directly and we'll be delighted to help. 

Best regards,

Employer Solutions at Irish Life

Shane O'Farrell, Director of Workplace Markets in Employer Solutions at Irish Life, will soon be presenting at the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) conference on 27 May 2025.

Shane's 'Beyond Compliance: Creating Value-Driven Auto-enrolment Experiences for Employees' presentation will explore the hottest topic in the industry right now, Auto-enrolment (AE). 

As pensions enter a new AE era, Shane will expertly discuss how employers can go above and beyond compliance obligations to implement an employee-centric approach. Additionally, supported by key insights from our latest independent research, Shane will explain how the AE rollout presents an unprecedented opportunity to enhance employee financial wellbeing.

Find out more about this IAPF event, from agenda to the full speaker line-up.

As the largest provider of Group Income Protection in the Irish market, with the widest range of services available*, we reflect on our Income Protection claims experience throughout 2024.

At its core, our Income Protection cover provides vital financial protection for employees, who become unable to work due to a long-term illness or injury. From prevention and early intervention supports, to rehabilitation services that help employees return to work, we're committed to protecting your people and empowering your business. 

Key findings** include:

*Irish Life claims data 2024

**Income Protection Insights Report, Irish Life 2024

As the largest master trust in the Irish market, our EMPOWER Master Trust was recently selected for assessment as part of the Pensions Authority’s (PA) Supervisory Review Process (SRP).

Recently introduced (in 2024), the SRP is an extensive and meticulous multi-phased, multi-format assessment, which examines a myriad of key areas, from governance to operations, and investment to communications, fees and charges as well as any notable recent endeavours like our Fund Rationalisation Project.

The SRP utilises a series of formats, beginning with standard requests for information, followed by a detailed questionnaire and culminating in an in-depth interview with the Trustees.

The Authority was pleased to note...

The end of February marked the anniversary of the Irish Life EMPOWER Multi Asset Funds. In those 10 years, we have experienced many events that have both stimulated and depressed the financial markets. 

Events like the successful Brexit vote, 3 US Presidential elections, the Covid pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, the Middle East conflict in Gaza and the resumption of inflation. 

Not to mention, the ongoing...

As you may know, on 17 January 2025 the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) came into effect. Otherwise known as DORA, this regulatory framework has been designed to ensure businesses in the financial services sector can withstand, respond to and recover from all types of ICT-related disruptions and threats. 

As your pension scheme provider, Irish Life is committed to ensuring that our technology risk management practices meet the highest standards and strictly comply with the latest DORA legislation. 

In the table below...