Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is important to have that clarification. One of the issues reflected in the contributions this morning is the idea that retirement is a cliff edge, financially and psychologically. I want to understand a little more from the witnesses from all three organisations about the transition to retirement, particularly the question of the availability of flexible working arrangements. The data point to a number of people aged 55-plus who are not working for a variety of reasons. We do not expect everybody to work until age 65 or 66 and then suddenly retire. That is not borne out by the data. I want to hear the witnesses' experiences of people who want to keep working into their 60s but cannot work the full five days. We now have a code of practice in this country on the right to flexible and remote working. That right to flexible work does not extend to older persons but only to people with specific caring responsibilities. I am interested in our guests' views on the transition to retirement. Flexibility could be a huge part of that transition over a period of years.