At the recent IRN Annual Conference, Tara Flynn gave a presentation on implementing change in pension schemes, which includes a proposed framework for restructuring defined benefit (DB) schemes which have run into deficit.

Launch of The Pensions Board's E-learning

Reaping the benefits of effective member communication

As with general change communication, there are four key stages to achieving effective change for pension schemes.

Communicating Change

Communicating change is never easy but click below for 5 points to make it a little simplier...

At the recent Legal Island Annual Employment Law Review, we conducted a poll on the biggest pension challenges for companies and HR professionals. Click below for results.

Press coverage of Attain in December 2009

The third instalment of the Accounting for Pensions in Ireland series will take a look at how overall pension deficits have developed in 2009 and also at the level of pension investment risk being carried by companies.   

01-12-2009

Article: Flexible Response Needed to the Pensions Crisis

Pension schemes in Ireland have taken a hard hit over the previous 12 months.John Feely takes a look at some measures and solutions in this article, which we can expect to

Perspective - Septmeber 2009 Volume 1:

Perspective recaps on how the markets and managed funds performed in August 2009 and also there is a special feature on the performance of property funds and how NAMA will impact on them.

05-10-2009

Perspective - August 2009 Volume 1:

Perspective recaps on how the markets and managed funds performed in July 2009; we take a look at how Irish exports defy gravity and also there is a special feature on global equities.

Perspective - July 2009 Volume 1: This month Attain recaps on both the local and global stock market performance for June 2009.

Perspective - June 2009 Volume 1: Attain recaps on both the local and global stock market performance for May 2009.

Ireland can use its strengths, such as the expertise of its domestic pensions industry and create a significant cross border pensions services industry, writes John Feely.

Perspective - May 2009 Volume 2

In the second edition of Perspective, Attain looks at stock market activity for the month of April 2009.

Accounting for Pensions in Ireland - Part 2

Accounting for Pensions in Ireland - Part 1

Three out of four pension schemes are insolvent...

Perspective -  May 2009 Volume 1

In this first edition, Attain looks at the main challenges that HR professionals are facing with their company pension schemes at the present time.

Attain's May e-Bulletin looks at the recent developments to the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2009. 

In an article first published in Irish Pensions Magazine, John Feely looks at the difficult issues and decisions that need to be considered by employers and trustees.

In an article first published in IRN, Tara Flynn asks, what do you say to an employee of a company or a member of the union when they approach you and ask if their pension is safe.

Many pension schemes are facing the real prospect of unrecoverable losses and a sustained period of insolvency. Attain Consulting can provide a fresh perspective. We believe that there is much that can be done.

With the planning season for 2009 in full swing and the pressure growing to cut costs in a number of companies, training and marketing budgets are usually top of the list to take a hit.

Companies and trustees need help to understand the issues they face and to assess their options. In his article published in the Newsletter of the Society of Actuaries, Maurice Whyms highlights the importance of simple and focused communication

The value of Irish pension funds fell by over 8% in September 2008; one of the worst monthly returns in decades, according to the Attain Consulting survey of Irish managed funds.

The CSO report on Pension Coverage has highlighted some interesting trends in the number of people with an occupational pension, personal pension or both.

Irish managed pension funds recovered some of their losses in August 2008 but are still sustaining significant falls since the beginning of the year, according to the Attain Consulting survey of Irish managed fund

We are used to hearing that the talks on a successor to the National Wage Agreement are on the blink of collapse but this is the most difficult set of negotiations since the mid-eighties given the current economic climate.

The Equality Authority’s Annual Report highlighted that for the first time, inequality on age grounds was the highest area of case files under consideration.

03-09-2008

Irish managed pension funds on average saw one fifth of their value wiped out over the 12 month period to end July 2008, according to the Attain Consulting survey of Irish managed funds.