IRELAND – The Irish government has appointed its first pensions ombudsman. Paul Kenny will take on the position in mid-April.

Kenny is a former chairman of the retirement planning council of Ireland. He is a senior consultant with Mercer Human Resource Consulting and is head of retirement research. He will leave Mercer to take up his new role.

Commented Mary Coughlan, the Irish minister for social and family affairs: “The appointment of the Pensions Ombudsman is another important element in the reform process which commenced with the passing of the Pensions (Amendment) Act 2002 last year.”

The introduction of a pensions ombudsman, part of the Irish pensions bill, was agreed by the Irish parliament last March. The ombudsman will be legally independent under the law and will have power to investigate and determine complaints in relation to occupational schemes and personal retirement savings accounts, PRSAs.

Across the Irish Sea, the UK’s Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, or OPRA, has reappointed Mercer Human Resource Consulting actuary Wendy Beaver as a board member. She will serve for a further year. Laurie Edmans, director of corporate development at Aegon UK, has also been reappointed for a further three years.

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