Military retirement age
Peter Fitzpatrick raises a case of an experienced Defence Forces private being forced to retire despite being medically fit and asks for action on retention. The Taoiseach says compulsory retirement ages are not ideal, but there are contractual complications under discussion.
The military is in the grip of a staffing retention crisis following a mass exodus due to pay, pensions and conditions. Last November, the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, secured an extension of service for sergeants who had joined on post-1994 contracts and were due to retire on age grounds. One of my constituents is a 50-year-old private who has served for almost 29 years, including on seven overseas trips. He is a highly trained individual with level 3 qualifications, but is being forced to retire. It is ludicrous to replace him and to train another qualified person when this man is fit, capable and eager to retain his role. Retaining these experienced personnel is a key enabler in strengthening the capability of our Defence Forces. What is going to happen when the ever-depleting backbone of the Defence Forces becomes so rare that they cannot pass on their experience to new recruits? Since the extension of service was obtained for sergeants, the Department of Defence has been advocating for change, but the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform has been stalling on permitting this solution. I ask the Taoiseach to step in to ensure this happens. Is the Taoiseach aware that for the first time in more than eight years, the number of-----
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-----personnel has fallen to below 8,000?
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This man is willing to work. He is medically fit. I ask the Taoiseach for action now.
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I have never been a particular fan of compulsory retirement ages. If somebody is fit and healthy and able to continue in their work, by and large we should allow them to do so, in particular at a time when we are struggling to recruit and retain staff across the board. I know there are some particular complications in this matter linked to contracts and so on, and there is engagement between the Minister for Defence and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on it.