ETF essentials · 2 minute read
What is the Irish Investment Account?
Proposed rules — checked 29 October 2026. The planned start is 1 July 2027, subject to legislation and commencement. Details may change.
The short answer
The Irish Investment Account (IIA) would let eligible adults hold investments, including eligible ETFs, under a new tax framework. It is an account for investments, not an ETF itself. The Finance Bill calls it the Individual Investment Account.
Why it matters
The provider would normally handle the account’s tax calculations, reporting and payment. This could make investing easier to administer, but fees and investment risks would still matter.
The proposed account would be available to Irish tax-resident adults aged 18 or over with a PPSN. Initially, each person could have one account and contribute up to €12,000 a year, with no minimum contribution.
A simple example
Putting in €200 a month would use €2,400 of the annual contribution allowance. You would then choose from the investments your provider offers. An ETF available on an ordinary platform would not automatically be available through its IIA.
What to check
- Is the account available, and have the final rules been confirmed?
- Does the provider offer the exact ETF you want?
- What account, fund and trading charges apply?
- How would withdrawals work? There is no proposed statutory lock-in, but selling investments takes time and may realise a loss.
The account would not guarantee your money or make a risky ETF safer.
Key term explained
Tax wrapper: an account that changes how the investments inside it are taxed. The investment still determines what you own and how its value can change.
Read how ETFs would be taxed inside an IIA and how to compare investment costs.