The north inner city is set to benefit from more than €2 million in new investment after Irish Life announced a long term commitment to direct 1 per cent of its annual pre tax earnings towards community, environmental and social initiatives.
The financial services company unveiled the commitment on Tuesday (23rd) as it officially opened its redeveloped headquarters on Abbey Street, where it has been based for almost 50 years.
The announcement was accompanied by a €2 million Inner City Dublin Fund, created in partnership with Rethink Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, along with a €1 million commitment to the Abbey Theatre for a community engagement project in Dublin 1.
The opening of the refurbished headquarters was marked by a ceremony attended by An Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris. Rather than demolishing the existing building, Irish Life retained and modernised the structure, a move the company said reduced embodied carbon while delivering a Nearly Zero Energy Building with an A3 Building Energy Rating.
The headquarters will accommodate up to 3,000 employees from Irish Life and other Great West businesses across Europe.
It has also achieved LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum certifications for sustainability and workplace wellbeing, alongside WiredScore Gold for digital connectivity and Ireland’s first ModeScore Platinum accreditation for sustainable transport facilities.
Chief executive Declan Bolger (pictured above) said the decision to remain in Dublin 1 reflected the company’s long standing connection with the area where it was founded in 1939.
“This is a proud day for Irish Life. We were founded in Dublin 1, and when we looked at the future of our headquarters, we made a deliberate choice to stay, to invest, and to give this building a new life,” he said.
Bolger said the new funding model would ensure the company’s success was matched by investment in society.
“From this point forward, Irish Life will pledge 1% of its pre tax base earnings every year to improving the wellbeing of our communities, our environment and broader society,” he said.
Irish Life will contribute €1.33 million towards the new €2 million Inner City Dublin Fund, which will support up to eight community organisations working in areas including mental health, financial wellbeing, social inclusion and community cohesion. Applications are expected to open in autumn 2026.
The company also announced a €1 million donation to the Abbey Theatre to support a three year community theatre and engagement project beginning in 2027, giving people of all ages opportunities to participate in every aspect of theatre making.
The announcements build on Irish Life’s existing community initiatives, including local education programmes, its employee charity fundraising scheme, which has raised more than €6.2 million since 1995, and its support for the GAA Healthy Clubs programme, recently extended until 2030.