Tax planning issues
Disposals on death are not subject to Capital Gains Tax, so it's irrelevant from this CGT/CAT point of view.
However, if you want to give a gift in excess of the CAT threshold, and you have to sell shares to do so, then give them the shares instead. They have to hold onto the shares for two years. So if you are planning to give someone a gift, then maybe give them the gift well in advance of when they need it.
If you have a few properties and you are planning to gift one of them, gift one on which CGT is payable. You will pay the CGT and they will get a credit for it in calculating their CAT.
It's better to hold shares or other assets subject to CGT rather than a unit linked fund subject to exit tax. If you want to gift the unit-linked fund, you will have to cash it and pay exit tax. Then the recipient will pay CAT on the net amount received.
Edit: Maybe not. There is something called "Taxes equivalent to CGT" which includes Irish life assurance products.