Ireland plans to launch a new tax-free investment account in 2027 under Simon Harris to encourage ordinary savers to invest in the stock market instead of leaving cash in low-interest accounts.
Taxes on gains would be waived up to a capped amount (to stop it mainly benefiting the wealthy). The model is inspired by Sweden's Investeringssparkonto and the UK's Individual Savings Account.
Officials are studying Sweden's Investeringssparkonto
(ISK) model, where the first ~ €28k invested is tax-free, and the UK's Individual Savings Account (ISA) system, which allows tax-free returns up to an annual limit.
Key points:
New investment account launching in 2027
Tax-free up to a capped amount
Designed for small/medium savers, not high net worth individuals
Separate child-focused savings scheme coming in 2026
Government to publish a national savings roadmap soon
Goal: get Irish savings out of deposits and into investments.
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Turbulent_Yard2120
4 comments
Tax breaks to lure Irish savers into stock market
Simon Harris’s new investment scheme will target idle deposits eroded by inflation.
Reducing taxes on investment income is a central part of plans to encourage the public to invest their savings in the stock market. An internal government note outlining the finance minister’s new savings and investment account scheme says he plans to provide beneficial tax treatment for certain investments.
The proposal explores using the taxation system to better support people setting aside modest amounts of their earnings each month. Department of Finance analysis said large amounts of savings were lying idle or being eroded by inflation, meaning savers were losing out by keeping money on deposit.
Under the new savings account, which could hold shares and investments, special rules would apply where taxes would be waived until a cap is reached. The account is intended to support households in getting greater returns on their savings and is due to form a key element of a coming budget, with rollout planned from 2027.
Officials are examining Sweden’s Investeringssparkonto (ISK), where the first €28,000 invested is tax free, with a low tax on the remainder including profits from investments.
A government source said Irish people have large amounts of savings but are earning little from them. The proposed scheme would set a maximum cap so that it is not designed mainly for wealthy investors. It is aimed at ordinary savers such as workers putting away small amounts each week or month for long-term goals.
Irish investors are currently taxed at 33 per cent on gains on shares and 38 per cent on many funds. Analysis presented to the tánaiste indicated that while Ireland is ahead of the EU average in saving, it lags behind in retail investment by non-professional individual investors.
The government is planning a two-pronged approach across 2026 and 2027, with the savings and investment account delivered as part of the budget. A child-centred savings scheme is also planned.
A new savings roadmap is expected to be published before Ireland takes up the EU presidency, and an investment forum made up of public and private sector members will also be established.
The new scheme will not resemble the former SSIA accounts, which ended in 2002 and included a 25 per cent state top-up.
Finance officials have also examined savings and investment schemes in the UK and Canada. In the UK, the equivalent is the Individual Savings Account (ISA), allowing tax-free returns up to an annual limit. In Canada, a tax-free savings account allows certain income from interest or capital gains to be treated as tax free.
Great. Hopefully rolls out quicker than auto-enrollment
Great news.
Now, where did I put that Eircom share statement………
Hmmm…no offence, but wouldn’t a reduction in income tax help a lot more people than reducing a tax for people that have enough money to invest? Taxing work more than capital while running into a demographic problem seems rather short sighted……