Thanks Towger, will check out the links. I found it hard to get into permanent employment after finishing university. I was working in France and Germany, where it is not as easy as here to start a career, so many people would spend many years at college, volunteer work, freelance work, self-employment. As you would not have any funds at that age, and no pension system would have registered you, you'd just lose those pension years. We were not given the option to pay AVCs or similar. Students would typically finish university at 27-29 and then find it hard to get into employment. That's why I left the country. I have an unbroken record since I've come to Ireland seven years ago. I'm in my mid-forties. However, even if I worked non-stop until pension age I might be short of contributions.
Thanks for the links, will check them out and get a pension preview.
The main question remains though, is it worth investing into my PRSA if I might get a means-tested social welfare pension only? Also I could not find any info of how my PRSA would be taxed if I moved back to France or Germany. I cannot pay into a supplementary pension over there, because I work here. If you know any links or have any idea concerning European-wide handling of pensions let me know.
Fanny