Death-in-Service Benefits.
The roles of the employer, trustees and employee and how they can all work together
to provide these benefits.
Autumn 2008.
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Sex, Death and Money.
A recent European Court case reaffirms the old adage that pensions are really about sex, death and money. This case and two important changes brought in by the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008 are discussed.
Summer 2008.
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Thinking Ahead.
The impact that early leavers have on a pension scheme can often be overlooked.
This is becoming of increasing importance as individuals may move job many times during a career.
Spring 2008.
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Age Discrimination and Pension Schemes.
Autumn 2007.
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Hybrid Pension Plans.
As the population gets older and the cost of providing pensions gets more expensive, employers are increasingly rethinking the type of benefits that they will provide for their workforce.
Summer 2007.
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Pension Funds: How to Handle a Complaint.
Spring 2007.
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Pension Pitfalls.
The treatment of pension benefits for employees on statutory leave, such as maternity leave or parental leave can be problematic. This article looks at common practices and pitfalls and offer some practical advice.
Winter 2006.
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Avoiding Pension Pitfalls.
At the best of times, pensions can appear a complicated business, and never more so than when divorce becomes an issue. This article leads you through this potential minefield.
Autumn 2006.
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Proposal on the Portability of Supplementary Pension Rights.
March 2006.
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Discrimination in Pension Schemes in Ireland.
January 2006.
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Reeling in the years?
The Finance Act 2006 contains good and bad news on pension funding.
Summer 2006.
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EU Prospectus Directive 2003/71/EC and the Regime in Ireland.
October 2005.
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Occupational Pension Scheme (Investment) Regulations 2005:
How Small Self Administered Schemes are Affected by the
New Investment Regulations.
October 2005.
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Pensions Equality Update.
This is the text of a paper that Fiona Thornton delivered to the Association of Pension Lawyers in Ireland on 5 October, 2004.
Click to view abridged html version.
Click to download pdf version.

Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure for Pension Schemes.
New obligations imposed under regulations that came into force in September 2003.
March 2004.
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Pensions Implications of the
Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003.
August 2003.
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Employee Incentive Schemes. (pdf file)
A paper that was delivered at a meeting of the Galway Enterprise Platform Programme on 30 January, 2003, which was organised by Enterprise Ireland Galway and the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Written by Emmet Scully.
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Pension Funds: Investment Downturn - Whose Liability?
This was published in Irish Pensions Magazine 4(3), Autumn 2002.
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Redress for Pension Scheme Members:
Implications of Early Retirement and Voluntary Severance.
This article was published in the Summer 2002, 4(2), edition of Irish Pensions Magazine.
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The Beckmann Case. (pdf file)
This paper discusses the implications of the Beckmann case on the Irish transfer of undertakings regulations and related EU Council Directives. Fiona Thornton presented this paper at a meeting of the Association of Pension Lawyers in Ireland in September, 2002.
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Surpluses in Occupational Pension Schemes - Best Practice for Trustees. (pdf)
February 2002.
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Family Law Aspects of Pension Schemes.
February, 2002.
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New Obligations for Trustees under the Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2001. (pdf)
A paper presented at a conference held by the Association of Pensions Lawyers in Ireland in October, 2001. This Bill has now become The Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2002. Please note that this paper is based on the Bill and that amendments may be made to a Bill before it becomes an Act.
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Investment as a Pension Scheme Issue in Ireland. (pdf file)
A paper presented at the IPEBLA Conference in Bordeaux, June 2001.
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The Complex Role of a Trustee of a Pension Scheme. (pdf file)
2001.
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