This is the biggest change to Irish pensions in a generation and most people have noticed it only as a new line on their payslip. The decision that matters is whether to opt out — and the maths says most people should think hard before they do.
Quick facts
- Started
- 1 January 2026
- Who
- Employees 23 to 60, earning €20,000+, with no payroll pension
- The match
- Your €3 becomes €7 — employer €3, Government €1
- Year 1 rate
- 1.5% of salary, rising to 6% by year 10
- Opt out
- After 6 months, with a refund of your own contributions
- Not auto-enrolled?
- You can still choose to join
Who is enrolled
"If you are an employee and do not pay into a pension, you may be automatically included (auto-enrolled) in a new pension scheme since 1 January 2026." "The pension scheme is called MyFutureFund."
You are enrolled for an employment if you: "Do not pay into a pension through payroll for that employment", "Are aged between 23 and 60", and "Earn €20,000 or more per year across all employments, or more than €5,000 over a 13-week period".
Note across all employments. Two part-time jobs that add up to €20,000 can bring you in even though neither does on its own.
And if you fall outside: "If you do not meet the age or income requirements above, you can still choose to join the pension scheme if you are not paying into a pension through payroll."
The match — why it matters
"your employer will put in €3, and the Government will put in €1. This means that for every €3 you contribute, €7 will be added to your account."
That is the whole argument. Very few financial decisions turn €3 into €7 on the day you make them, before any investment return at all.
"You cannot pay more or less than the set rate." "In the first year, you and your employer will pay 1.5% of your annual salary. This will increase to 6% by year 10." The Government's share rises alongside, from 0.5% to 2%.
Opting out
"After 6 months, you can choose to leave the scheme (opt out) and get a refund of your pension contributions."
Read your contributions. Opting out returns what came out of your wages. The employer's and the Government's share are not paid to you — they are the money you walk away from.
There can be good reasons: serious debt at a high interest rate is the usual one. But if the reason is simply that the payslip looks lighter, it is worth doing the €3-into-€7 sum first. Our auto-enrolment calculator runs it for your salary.
Common questions
Who is automatically enrolled in MyFutureFund?
Employees who do not pay into a pension through payroll for that employment, are aged between 23 and 60, and earn €20,000 or more a year across all employments or more than €5,000 over a 13-week period.
How much goes in?
For every €3 you contribute, your employer puts in €3 and the Government €1, so €7 is added to your account. In the first year you and your employer each pay 1.5% of salary, rising to 6% by year 10.
Can I pay in more?
No. You cannot pay more or less than the set rate.
Can I opt out?
After 6 months you can choose to leave the scheme and get a refund of your own pension contributions. The employer and Government contributions are not refunded to you.
I earn under €20,000. Can I join?
Yes. If you do not meet the age or income requirements you can still choose to join, provided you are not paying into a pension through payroll.
I have two part-time jobs. Am I in?
Possibly. The €20,000 threshold is measured across all employments, so two jobs that add up to €20,000 can bring you in.