149. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the guidelines for the age of compulsory retirement for staff working in the Houses of the Oireachtas; if there is a distinction between the retirement age of public representatives and office staff in the House of the Oireachtas and, if so, the justification for this. [3108/16]

For staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Service who are civil servants of the State, there are differing compulsory retirement ages depending on when one first entered the relevant pension scheme. These are 65, 70 and no upper age limit. Members of the Oireachtas have no fixed retirement age, as they are not employees, but elected office holders.  While the Constitution specifies a minimum age of 21 at which one is eligible for membership of either of the Houses of the Oireachtas, there is no upper age limit specified.