Source: CSO

Pension coverage for Irish workers aged between 20 and 69 was 54% in the first quarter of 2008, according to the CSO. Coverage has been estimated by the Quarterly National Household Survey on six occasions between Q1 2002 and Q1 2008. The rate has remained relatively stable over this period, varying within a range of 52% to 55%.

Pension cover for female workers has increased significantly in comparison to their male counterparts. In Q1 2002, 45% of females and 57% of male workers had a pension. In Q1 2008, this gap had narrowed, as the rate for female workers had increased to 50% and the rate for males was 56%.

Irish nationals have a significantly higher rate of pension cover than Non-Irish nationals. There has been an overall increase in the coverage rate for Irish nationals from a rate of 53% in Q1 2002 to 58% in Q1 2008. Pension coverage of

Non-Irish nationals has fallen from 34% to 28% over the same period. However, the effect of these changes has been neutral in terms of overall pension coverage in the State, as the proportion of Non-Irish nationals in the labour force has increased.

Overall pension cover in economic sectors and occupational groups has shown a pattern of relative stability since Q1 2002. The most recent estimate in Q1 2008 showed that the highest rate of pension cover has remained concentrated in Public administration and defence sector where more that nine in every ten workers have a pension. The Hotels and restaurants sector continued to have the lowest rate of cover as less than one in four workers had a pension.

Three quarters of workers classified as Professional on the basis of the broad occupational group had a pension in Q1 2008. This compares to only one third of workers in the Sales occupational group.