Ireland’s State Pension

The Future of Retirement Planning
Ireland’s State Pension is one of the most generous in the world, and
 will provide a retirement income that is significantly more than that
offered in many other countries. The Irish state pension is also
means-tested, so those on low incomes will receive a higher pension than
 those on high incomes. As a result, it is important for those planning
for retirement to understand how Ireland’s state pension system works.
The Irish state pension scheme is based on a lifetime career average
salary. This means that you will start receiving a State Pension at the
age of 68 if you have been employed for 40 years or more and have paid
National Insurance contributions throughout your working life. If you
are self-employed, you can still qualify for the State Pension if you
have worked for 25 years and have paid NI contributions in each of those
 years.