The Government has accepted in principle the proposals of the Irish Pensions Board to set oldage pensions at 34 per cent of average industrial earnings - almost £100 a week - and ensure that 70 per cent of the workforce, aged over 30, are also covered by occupational pension schemes.

An inter-departmental group will be set up immediately to look at ways of making occupational pension schemes more accessible to low-paid, casual and even unemployed people, who wish to supplement their State pensions. See Story of the Week, page 3