Two in every five adults here who do not have a pension are unaware of plans for an auto-enrolment scheme.
86% of existing pension holders have some awareness of the proposals, but just 58% say that while they have heard of it, they do not know much about it.
42% of those without a pension also said they have never heard of auto-enrolment.
Of the remainder, who have some knowledge of it, 44% say they do not know very much about it.
The research was carried out by iReach on behalf of insurance broker Gallagher.
"The very group that the AE scheme is designed to help is the least informed and engaged on the issue," said Jonathan Roche-Kelly, Director of Financial Services for Gallagher in Ireland.
"Looking at the feedback from people who don’t have a pension, we really start to appreciate just how much more needs to be done for auto-enrolment to be seen as a positive by those it is intended to support and, to ultimately be a successful endeavour."
The findings come amid reports that the planned rollout of the auto-enrolment scheme have been pushed back further by the Government.
It is now expected that it will be next year before it is in place.
Under the scheme around 800,000 workers who are not already members of a pension will be automatically enrolled into one next year.
The aim of auto-enrolment is to boost the numbers of people with a pension and the level of their retirement savings.
"It has real potential to address the country’s pension coverage gap by automatically enrolling workers without existing pension plans," said Mr Roche Kelly.
"The aim of this initiative is laudable and could go a long way toward ensuring a more inclusive and equitable retirement system, compelling more people to save and reducing future reliance on the State pension."
"The scheme is ultimately designed to provide greater financial security in retirement and support the long-term sustainability of Ireland's aging population. But it is imperative that employees are brought along in the roll-out."
