Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It depends on rank. The committee will remember that we had a debate on the 21-year soldier issue. That was an example of how complex the mandatory retirement age or period served is. There are issues on fitness tests - when one moves into a certain category, the fitness level and test changes. It is not as simple as saying it is the age of 50, 55, 60 or 65. It is a much more complex set of rules on mandatory retirement, but I will send the detail on that. I am not trying to evade the question.