Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2026
80. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to provide an update on the establishment of the proposed new Savings and Investments Forum, and an annual savings and investment industry roundtable. [10867/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland hosts a thriving international financial services industry; we are a global centre of excellence with a key role as a gateway to the EU for asset managers and a distribution centre for funds worldwide. There are over 120,000 people working in the financial services industry in Ireland, these jobs are regionally spread throughout the country, employing highly skilled workers in almost every county.
The former Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath, committed to undertaking a review of the Irish Funds industry in 2023. The Department of Finance spent eighteen months working extensively with stakeholders to produce the Funds Review 2030 which was published in October 2024. The review identified forty-two recommendations to continue to grow this important sector of our economy. These included the establishment of an annual savings and investment forum and an an annual roundtable between the Minister for Finance and the Minister of State and a representative cross-section of the funds and asset management sector.
The Savings and Investment Forum will be led by the Department of Finance with support from the Central Bank of Ireland and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Attendees will be a mix of asset managers, wealth managers, financial planners, digital platforms, banks, insurance firms and pension firms, as well as government and regulatory officials. The forum will provide the opportunity to discuss the current investment landscape in Ireland. My officials are currently finalising plans to host the first meeting of the forum and I hope to announce a date for the event shortly with invites to be issued thereafter.
The Annual Roundtable will take place between myself and the Minister of State with attendees from a variety of the funds and asset management sector. The roundtable will provide me with the opportunity to hear directly industry’s views on the work they do in Ireland. My officials have commenced planning for this event to take place and I hope to announce a date for the event in due course.
This Government is committed to ensuring the engagement with industry continues from the Funds Review. The new Savings and Investment Forum and Roundtable will be held annually going forward and include engagement with all firms offering different forms of savings and investments. This will help us to formulate policy in the future to deepen the Capital Markets but more importantly to benefit Irish savers throughout their lifetimes.
