Retirement age flexibility
Deputy Ryan asked for the timeline on promised measures to let people work beyond 65. The Taoiseach referred him to the Minister for Social Protection, who explained that there is no statutory retirement age, but some contracts and existing equality law affect retirement at 65.
Earlier this month, the Minister for Social Protection announced that the Government would examine measures to increase the retirement age or give flexibility in going beyond the mandatory retirement age of 65 in both the private and public sector. There are many people who may be 64 and who, later this year or early next year, would face this choice about continuing to work. What is the timeline for the introduction of legislative or other changes where we might seek to introduce greater flexibility? Will the Taoiseach give some hope to those who are due to retire at the age of 65 in the latter part of this year that measures might be in place allowing them to continue to work? Everyone in the House would agree it would be a better and more flexible system for everybody.
Comment on this
I will ask the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, to give Deputy Ryan an update on that.
Comment on this
First, it is important to say there is no statutory retirement age in Ireland. No one is required to retire at any particular age in Ireland. However, some people have employment contracts that require them to retire earlier than they might like to. Often, the requirement is at 65 years of age. That requirement is no longer aligned with the pension age, which is 66 years of age.
In the private sector, employment equality legislation is already in place to allow people to challenge attempts by the employer to require them to retire at 65 years, rather than 66 years. The Workplace Relations Commission is drawing up a code of conduct around that. It will be legally enforceable and legally binding. That should be concluded in the coming months. The law may well already be in place but we need a code of conduct to ensure the law is acted on and is made manifest in the workplace.
The public sector is slightly different because it is governed by statute. I met the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, last week. This is one of the issues that the Minister and his Department expect to talk to the unions about in the context of the negotiations in and around the extension or replacement of the Lansdowne Road agreement this year.