Research from Ibec shows contrasting public attitudes to investing in shares and gaps in financial literacy. Half of Irish adults save informally every month or more, according to research from Financial Services Ireland (FSI), a branch of business group Ibec.Engagement with retail investment was relatively low, with only 16 per cent of those surveyed reported holding shares, while just five per cent had other financial investments.Up to 30 per cent of adults said they had the money to invest but were unsure of what to do with it. This sentiment was highest among 25–44-year-olds, as well as those earning in excess of €65,000 a year.Patricia Callan, director of FSI, said: “Ireland has a developed a reputation as a nation of savers, and this is backed by the findings in this report.”“That is a positive, but it is important that we also cultivate a new investment culture where people can build wealth through investing in capital markets,” she added.[ Simon Harris insists investment savings plan is aimed at ‘middle Ireland’Opens in new window ]The results of this survey come following today’s launch of a national financial literacy strategy action plan by Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris. The plan aims to bolster public financial literacy ahead of an upcoming launch of retail personal investment accounts (PIA)s in Ireland.Regarding financial literacy, just 73 per cent of Irish adults said they understood the difference between savings and investment. “The data shows there is an appetite for retail investment accounts, but there is work to be done to bridge the information gap out there,” said Callan. ‘No profit and crap governance’ – is Elon Musk’s SpaceX actually worth $1.75 trillion? Listen | 41:54“We need to ensure that we are improving financial literacy amongst the public so they understand the potential risks and rewards of investing and what it can ultimately offer for them.” The survey also broke down the types of retail investment different demographics were most likely to engage with. Those aged under 35 were 21 per cent more likely to hold cryptocurrencies than older respondents, while those aged over 50 were 35 per cent more likely to use a life insurance product. Notable differences in investment activity were noted across genders, with nearly twice as many men holding stocks as women, at 21 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. Men were also three times more likely to hold cryptocurrencies than women (16 per cent vs 5 per cent). Ahead of the launch of the proposed personal investment accounts (PIAs), only 23 per cent of those surveyed expressed an interest in using one. Regarding the PIAs, the majority of respondents said it was most important for such accounts to have higher returns over a standard deposit savings account. The next most important features for the prospective accounts were noted as product simplicity (21 per cent) and tax incentives (14 per cent). The survey consisted of interviews with 1,000 Irish adults in March 2026.