Gráinne Griffin Appointed Ireland’s Financial Literacy Ambassador

DUBLIN, Ireland, July 25, 2026 — Gráinne Griffin, Director of Financial Education at the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, or CCPC, has been appointed Financial Literacy Ambassador for Ireland. Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris announced the appointment on July 25, adding the new responsibility to Griffin’s existing role at the CCPC. As Ireland’s ambassador, Griffin will promote financial literacy messages, support financial education initiatives and represent the country within a European Commission network of Financial Literacy Ambassadors. The network forms part of the EU’s Financial Literacy Strategy, which seeks to strengthen financial education across Member States and support people in making informed financial decisions. Griffin will also support the implementation of Ireland’s National Financial Literacy Strategy, linking her work at the CCPC with national and European financial education priorities.

Harris said Griffin’s experience in financial education made her well suited to the appointment. Her work at the CCPC has involved helping consumers develop knowledge around financial matters and make informed decisions. The new role comes as Ireland prepares to introduce the Investment Account, with the government highlighting the importance of financial knowledge when people make decisions about saving and investing. Harris also pointed to the role financial literacy plays in everyday money management, major financial decisions and long-term planning. Griffin’s appointment gives Ireland a dedicated representative for financial literacy within the European Commission network while adding a public-facing responsibility to her existing financial education work.

European Network Connects Ireland with EU Strategy

The Financial Literacy Ambassador network is part of the European Commission’s work under the EU Financial Literacy Strategy. Ambassadors are expected to promote financial education, communicate financial literacy messages, engage with citizens and the media, and support access to reliable financial information and resources. They also have a role in supporting the implementation of national financial literacy strategies. For Griffin, that means representing Ireland in discussions and initiatives involving financial education at both national and European levels. She said she looks forward to working with stakeholders across Ireland and Europe in support of the National Financial Literacy Strategy and the EU Financial Literacy Strategy.

Griffin has described financial literacy as an important life skill that can help people make informed decisions, avoid financial difficulties and plan for the future. The remit extends across many areas of personal finance, rather than focusing solely on investing. Financial education can cover subjects such as budgeting, borrowing, savings, insurance, mortgages, investments, retirement planning and debt management. Consumer awareness also includes recognising scams and fraud and understanding financial rights. Through the ambassador role, Griffin will communicate financial literacy messages while supporting initiatives designed to give people access to relevant financial education and trusted information.

CCPC Builds Financial Education Function

Griffin’s appointment follows the CCPC’s establishment of a dedicated Financial Education Division, which she leads. The division forms part of the commission’s work to help consumers develop financial knowledge and make informed decisions. The CCPC already provides financial education and consumer information across areas including budgeting, borrowing, insurance, savings, investments, mortgages, retirement planning and debt. The organisation also provides information on scams, fraud and consumer rights. Griffin’s new role adds a national and European dimension to that work, allowing her to represent Ireland while continuing to lead the CCPC’s financial education function.

CCPC Chairperson Brian McHugh said the appointment recognises Griffin’s expertise and leadership in financial education. He also connected financial literacy with the financial wellbeing and resilience of individuals, families and communities across Ireland. The CCPC works with government departments, regulators, consumer organisations, educators and community groups in implementing Ireland’s National Financial Literacy Strategy. These relationships bring together organisations involved in financial education and consumer information, giving Griffin an established network of stakeholders with which to work in her new capacity. Her appointment also gives the CCPC a representative within the European Commission’s financial literacy network.

Financial Literacy Focuses on Everyday Decisions

Financial literacy covers a wide range of decisions that people make throughout their lives. These include managing household finances, borrowing money, choosing insurance, saving, investing, preparing for retirement, and dealing with debt. Harris said financial knowledge can help people make informed choices about their money, while Griffin said financial literacy can help people avoid financial difficulties and plan for the future. The government has also highlighted access to trusted information as people make decisions about saving and investing, particularly as Ireland prepares to introduce the Investment Account.

Griffin’s new appointment brings these priorities together under a formal national role while connecting Ireland’s work with the EU’s financial education agenda. She will represent Ireland within the European Commission’s Financial Literacy Ambassador network, promote financial education messages and support the implementation of the National Financial Literacy Strategy. Her responsibilities at the CCPC will continue alongside the ambassador role, allowing her to draw on the commission’s existing financial education work and relationships with government, regulators, educators, consumer organisations and community groups. The appointment gives Ireland a designated voice in the European financial literacy network while placing financial education at the centre of Griffin’s public responsibilities.