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Special Saving Incentive Accounts Module (SSIA) - Explanatory notes

What is an SSIA

SSIAs are a five-year savings scheme in which the Exchequer tops up, by way of a tax credit, subscriptions made by an individual to his or her SSIA. For example, if you lodge €100 each month to your SSIA with your financial institution, you are entitled to receive €25 each month by way of a tax credit from the Exchequer.

SSIAs were opened in the period 1 May 2001 to 30 April 2002 and will mature during the period 31 May 2006 to 30 April 2007. For example SSIAs that were started in May 2001, will mature on the 31 May 2006.

Note the SSIA should not be confused with a PRSA which is a long term savings account designed to assist people to save for their retirement.

Why are we asking these questions

As outlined above SSIAs will start to mature from the 31st of May 2006. Over the year in which SSIAs will mature it is estimated that some €10-15 billion will be released into the economy. At present there is very little objective empirical analysis available outlining how people intend to use this money.

Clearly there are significant policy implications associated with the release of such vast resources into the economy. This information is also of significant interest to macroeconomic statisticians in terms of the measurement of public consumption and expenditure patterns and the knock-on effect on GNP and GDP.

Who are we asking these questions of?

These questions are being asked of all respondents aged 21 and over, direct and proxy across all waves.

Question 9 (Proportion)


This question is not being asked of proxy respondents.
Notes on individual questions

Note the SSIA which is a 5 year investment with a 25% return should not be confused with a PRSA which is a long term savings account designed to assist people to save for their retirement.

Q1 SSIA

Do you have an SSIA?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Refusal

SSIAs will mature over a one-year period between 31 May 2006 and 30 April 2007.

2006/2007 Maturity dates for SSIAs
SSIA Commencement date SSIA Maturity date
May 2001 31 May 2006
June 2001 30 June 2006
July 2001 31 July 2006
August 2001 31 August 2006
September 2001 30 September 2006
October 2001 31 October 2006
November 2001 30 November 2006
December 2001 31 December 2006
January 2002 31 January 2007
February 2002 28 February 2007
March 2002 31 March 2007
April 2002 30 April 2007

For example, if you commenced your SSIA in February 2002, the maturity date is 28 February 2007

Q2. MATURE

When does your SSIA mature?

1. 2006
2. 2007
3. Don't know

As the text of the question now specifies we are only interested in the level of the current subscription.

Q3 FULL_AMT

Are you currently saving the maximum amount of €254 per month?

1. Yes
2. No

Q4 CONT_SSIA

How much do you contribute to your SSIA on a monthly basis (note €254 per month is the max. contribution)?

€_________

Note: This relates to your current contribution level

As the note below outlines the intention here is to identify persons who intend to increase their subscription to their SSIA between now and maturity.

Q5 SSIA_TOP

Do you intend to increase your SSIA contributions prior to maturity?

1. Yes
2. No

Note: Top-up relates to an increase to your current contribution and not necessarily to the maximum amount

Q6 SSIA_IDEA

When your SSIA matures do you have an idea as to how you are going to spend this money?

1. Yes, a clear idea
2. Yes, some idea
3. No idea

This is a multiple choice question and it is an attempt to identify how holders of SSIAs intend to use the money from the SSIAs.

Q7 SSIA_WHAT

Can you indicate from the following list the items that you intend to spend this money on:

1 Home improvements
2 Foreign holiday
3 Car
4 Purchase of other goods and services
5 Debt (e.g. paying-off some/all mortgage or other borrowings)
6 Pension fund
7 Investment in property or stocks and shares
8 Savings
9 Other

Q8 SSIA_MAYBE

Even though you have indicated that you have no idea how you are going to spend this money would you consider spending this money on any of the following items:

1 Home improvements
2 Foreign holiday
3 Car
4 Purchase of other goods and services
5 Debt (e.g. paying-off some/all mortgage or other borrowings)
6 Pension fund
7 Investment in property or stocks and shares
8 Savings
9 Other

This question will only be asked of those that have a clear idea or some idea of how they are going to use their SSIA money. If four items are selected from SSIA_WHAT question then there will be four PROPORTION questions.

Q9 PROPORTION

You have indicated that you are going to spend your money on XXXX. What proportion of your SSIA money do you intend to spend on this item?

_____%

Repeat per number of items identified