New Ireland introduces latest in Smart Tracker range

Guaranteed Return of 13% at Tracker Maturity

New Ireland has announced details of Smart Tracker 9, the latest in its range of highly successful tracker bonds. Smart Tracker 9 offers investors a minimum guaranteed return of 13% at tracker maturity along with the opportunity to earn additional bonuses of up to 35%.

This bond tracks the performance of a basket of 20 international blue chip stocks and combines both capital security and excellent growth potential. Investors can earn returns of up to 48% of the amount invested at tracker maturity depending on stock performance.

Each year, investors have the opportunity to earn a bonus of up to 5% depending on the closing value of each stock. If, on each policy anniversary, all 20 stocks have shown any growth over their initial price (i.e. the closing price on 8th August 2003) then a bonus of 5% is locked in. Similarly, if 19 stocks have shown growth on that date, a bonus of 4% is locked in. This follows a 1% sliding scale to a bonus of 0.5% if 15 stocks have shown any growth. All bonuses earned are locked in and securely stored away until tracker maturity, no matter how markets perform.

Commenting on Smart Tracker 9, David Swanton, Marketing Director, New Ireland said:
"Smart Tracker 9 offers the potential to share in excellent stock market growth without any risk to your initial investment. We believe that this product offers a great opportunity to get real value from the market and should be seen as an excellent buying opportunity. In addition to the guaranteed 13% return, the additional potential growth of 35% is a compelling offer for potential investors".

Smart Tracker 9, which is available from 1st July 2003, tracks 20 leading global stocks including Citigroup, Nokia, Vodafone, Toyota and Sony. The latest date for receipt of applications is 1st August 2003. Upon maturity, investors can access one of 25 funds in the Smart Funds range without incurring a tax liabilty. Smart Tracker 9 is open to investors aged 18 years or over with Eur5,000 or more to invest and has a 7 year investment term.

Ends

For Reference:

Jenni Smith
Savings and Investment Product Manager
New Ireland Assurance
Tel: 01 617 2575
or
Anne Mathews
Group Corporate Communications
Bank of Ireland,
Tel: 01 604 3836

About New Ireland:

Established in 1918, New Ireland Assurance was the first wholly Irish owned life assurance company to transact business in the country. A wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Ireland, New Ireland is one of Ireland's largest life assurers, providing a comprehensive range of investment, protection, savings and pensions products.

Headquartered in Dublin, New Ireland Assurance employs over 600 people throughout Ireland with offices in 21 locations around the country.

In 2003 New Ireland won all 4 of the industry's MoneyMate Investment Awards along with the Annual BCP Investment Award for Best Performing Managed Growth Fund. The company also won the IBA Service Excellence Awards in 2002, was chosen as Best Life Assurance Company by Brokers in LIMRA's Annual Broker Attitude Survey and topped the Irish Independent Annual Personal Pensions Fund Survey for 3 years running.

For further details please refer towww.newireland.ie