The NERI seminar titled 'Taxation and Intergenerational Fairness: Exploring the role and reforms to inheritance taxes in Ireland' was presented by Dr. Micheál Collins, UCD and Dr. Tom McDonnell, NERI. It took place on Wednesday 18 February 2026 at 15.30 as an online Zoom event.
Lecture Format:
Dr. Micheál Collins, UCD and Dr. Tom McDonnell, NERI made their presentations. Subsequently, there was a Q&A section where the chairperson, Mr. Paul Goldrick-Kelly, NERI presented questions from attendees to Micheál and Tom.
Please find the presentation and video.
Abstract:
Discussions about economic equality have, in recent years, extended beyond considerations of income distribution to encompass the distribution of wealth and its intergenerational transfer. Driven by new and more frequent data, a better understanding is emerging of the concentration of wealth within society and the dynamics of its intergenerational transfer.
This paper contributes to that discussion by assessing the economic and social rationales for the taxation of intergenerational wealth transfers. It outlines the social and public policy case for inheritances taxes grounded in vertical equity principles. Then it presents comparative data on household wealth across high-income European countries before focusing on one of these, Ireland, to consider whether current inheritance taxation policies counter or perpetuate these inequalities. Focusing on that system, the article explores a range of inheritance taxation reforms intended to address wealth inequality while providing recurring funds for public services and redistribution.
The presentation links to a recently published article by the presenters:
McDonnell, T. and Collins, M.L. (2025) ‘Taxation and Intergenerational Fairness: Exploring the Role of Inheritance Taxes with a Focus on Ireland’, Social Policy and Society, 24(2), pp. 281–298. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/social-policy-and-society/article/taxation-and-intergenerational-fairness-exploring-the-role-of-inheritance-taxes-with-a-focus-on-ireland/B27BD0AF592D852EB771334AD891DADE
Speakers details:
Dr. Micheál Collins, UCD
Dr Micheál Collins is an economist, Assistant Professor of Social Policy, and Head of Social Policy at University College Dublin.
His research interests and publications are in the areas of income distribution and poverty, taxation, fiscal welfare, pensions, economic evaluation and public policy. He was a member of Ireland’s Commission on Taxation (2008-2009) and the Irish Government’s Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare (2011-2014). He served as the external member of the Irish Government’s interdepartmental group examining the reform of Ireland’s income tax and social insurance system (2017-18). He is a former member of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (2015-2021) and a former chair of the Irish Social Policy Association (ISPA) and the Regional Studies Association (RSA) of Ireland.
Micheál obtained his PhD in economics from Trinity College Dublin.
Dr. Tom McDonnell, NERI
Tom McDonnell is co-director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute and is based in the Dublin office. In addition to managing staff in the Dublin office he has co-responsibility for the NERI's research programme and for its strategic direction.
He is also responsible for, among other things, the NERI's analysis of the Republic of Ireland economy including risks, trends and forecasts. He specialises in economic growth, economics of innovation, Irish and European economies, and fiscal policy.
He previously worked as an economist at TASC and before that was a lecturer in economics at NUI Galway and at DCU. He has also taught at Maynooth University (MU) and is currently an occasional staff member at MU.
Tom obtained his PhD in economics from NUI Galway.