Hi,
I have a Life Assurance Policy which I took out with a foreign company in another EU country in 1980. The Guide to Capital Gains Tax http://www.revenue.ie/leaflets/cgt1.pdf states under the heading "Non chargeable gains" (page 15)
gains realised from life assurance policies and deferred annuity contracts, unless purchased from another person or taken out with certain foreign insurers on or after 20/5/1993