IRELAND - The Pensions Green Paper, which will aim to outline the major policy choices, is on course to be completed by the end of March, minister for social affairs Seamus Brennan has confirmed.

Low-paid workers need a Legal Aid-type system to give them pension and other financial advice, GE Life says.

IRELAND - F&C plans to take its liability driven investment (LDI) offering in the Dutch pensions market to Ireland.

DUBAI - MSCI Barra has opened a sales office in Dubai to cover the Middle East region.

GLOBAL - Social infrastructure has been tipped as the next hot asset class, with the large Dutch pension funds expected to lead the way.

THREADNEEDLE Investments has teamed up with real estate adviser CB Richard Ellis Financial Services to launch a European fund of property funds.

New bond will open pension fund door to private equity; Union to meet BA chief over vote on pensions; Self-employed "failing to save for old age"

INDIA - The UTI Mutual Fund claims it is to manage a "majority share" of the new R15bn (US$340m) pension scheme for government employees.

NETHERLANDS - F&C Netherlands institutional business director Ronald Waals is to join Rotterdam-based Robeco Asset Management to strengthen its sales team.

SWEDEN - AXA Real Estate Investment Managers has opened an office in Stockholm, as exclusively revealed by Global Pensions in December.