IRELAND – The Irish Association of Pension Funds has launched a handbook on investment management for trustees.

The Dublin-based IAPF said "Pension Fund Investment Management" covers investment management process, how investment managers choose individual asset portfolios, appointing investment managers, setting benchmarks and monitoring performance.

It is the last of three in a series called "Introduction to Investment".

"Recent events have again demonstrated the complex issues that trustees of pension funds must deal with in order to safeguard pension benefits for scheme members," said IAPF chairman Gerry Ryan.

“Trustees need to pay serious attention to governance issues, particularly asset governance. We hope that this latest booklet will be a valuable guide in assisting trustees and others involved in pensions."

The guide is available from the IAPF, price 10 euros.

Ryan, company secretary of Irish telecoms firm Eircom, took over from John Feely as chairman of the IAPF in June last year. Last month the IAPF welcomed a move by the Pensions Board regulator to relax its stance on pension funding.