Naming
The Savings and Investment Account (SIA)
SIA and PIA are two names for one proposed Irish account. Here is what each name refers to, and where the rules actually stand.
Updated 13 September 2026
One account, several names
If you have read about a Savings and Investment Account, a Personal Investment Account, an Investment Account or an “Irish ISA”, you have been reading about the same thing: a proposed account that would let Irish residents hold eligible investments with an authorised provider under one simpler tax treatment, intended during 2027.
| Name you may see | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Personal Investment Account (PIA) | Department of Finance material and most media coverage since August 2026 |
| Savings and Investment Account (SIA) | Banking and Payments Federation Ireland proposals, May 2026, and subsequent industry and press coverage |
| Investment Account | Shorthand used in some official summaries |
| Irish ISA | Informal comparison with the UK account. Not an accurate description of the proposal |
Why it is not an ISA
Where the rules stand
Nothing is law yet. The design intent comes from the Department of Finance roadmap published on 31 August 2026. The three numbers that decide whether the account is worth opening — the annual rate, the tax-free threshold and the annual contribution limit — are all still blank, and are expected in Budget 2027 on 6 October 2026, with legislation in the Finance Bill 2026.
Every individual rule, with its status, source and the date it last changed, is recorded in the rules ledger — currently version 2026.09.3, reviewed 2026-09-13. The full ledger is also published as open JSON at /api/public/pia-rules under CC BY 4.0, so anyone quoting it can check the version they quoted.
Common questions
Is the Savings and Investment Account the same as the Personal Investment Account?
Yes. The SIA and the PIA are two names for the same proposed Irish account. Government material, banking industry submissions and media coverage use both, sometimes in the same article. There is one scheme, not two.
Which name is official?
Neither is settled in legislation, because the account is not law yet. The Department of Finance roadmap of 31 August 2026 sets out the design; the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland submission of May 2026 uses Savings and Investment Account. The name used in the Finance Bill 2026 will be the one that sticks.
Why do some people call it an Irish ISA?
Because the UK Individual Savings Account is the nearest familiar comparison. The Irish proposal is not an ISA: the UK account is free of tax on gains inside it, while the Irish proposal is an annual charge on account value above a tax-free threshold. Simpler than today's rules, but not tax-free.
When will the SIA be available?
The Government intends the account to be available during 2027 and it has been briefed as expected to be up and running early in the year. No opening date is confirmed, and each provider may launch at a different time.
What is still undecided?
The annual tax rate, the tax-free threshold and the annual contribution limit. All three are expected in Budget 2027, delivered on 6 October 2026, with the legislation following in the Finance Bill 2026.
Keep reading
Run your own numbers
Compare a Personal Investment Account against a deposit account and a standard fund over 10, 20 or 30 years — with real Irish rates.
Open the PIA calculatorInformation only, not financial or tax advice. Final PIA rules — the contribution limit, the tax-free threshold and the flat rate — are due to be confirmed in Budget 2027 and the related Finance Bill. Figures cited are from the Department of Finance roadmap, Revenue, Skatteverket, GOV.UK and the IRS.