Two in every three people believe that it should be mandatory to start a private pension plan, according to survey findings released yesterday by the Pensions Board.

The survey also found that 47 per cent of respondents would be willing to pay a higher rate of PRSI to provide for compulsory pensions and that 27 per cent of respondents who were also SSIA holders would contribute part or all of their SSIA to a pension.

The survey has been timed to coincide with National Pensions Action Week, which begins today.

Pensions Board chief executive Anne Maher said yesterday that an aging population would raise the urgency of pension provision. "At present there are over four workers contributing to the support of every pensioner. This will fall to 2.7 in 2026 and to less than 1.5 workers per pensioner by mid-century."

According to the survey, four out of five respondents believe that the State old age pension will not meet their needs in retirement. Ms Maher said that adequate pension cover could be achieved in future by using the present voluntary contribution system, and she welcomed the survey findings in relation to SSIAs.

"It's encouraging to see that there is an increase in the number of SSIA holders who said they will be contributing some to their pension but this needs to increase even further."

The Pensions Board will host a national pensions forum in Dublin Castle next Friday, May 5th, to discuss the formulation of pensions policy in Ireland.