John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Many of the organisations I referred to in my opening address, such as Age Action Ireland, have been calling for the abolition of mandatory retirement to give workers the choice. The issues around schoolteachers and others in the public service who are being brought back as consultants to work clearly shows that for a multitude of reasons they feel that they must continue working whether that is for financial reasons or due to issues around isolation or whatever. It could be because of the changes that were brought in, as Deputy Clare Daly outlined, in 2012, where the State pension and how it was calculated was changed, which had a particularly hard-hitting effect, predominantly on women. I outlined that at this stage the changes that were brought introduced in 2012 have affected 35,000 people. They are on a lesser payment than if they had retired prior to 2012. Clearly, there are issues, and that is why some would feel they have to remain within the workforce. This will do away with that problem. Instead of retired people being brought back as consultants, they will be able to continue working beyond the set retirement age, whether it is 65 years or whatever level is set.

I acknowledge the support of Professor John Crown who, as a Senator, tried to bring forward a Bill that would have abolished mandatory retirement. Professor Crown is fully supportive of this Bill also. He has outlined at length the difficulties within the medical fraternity where staff, particularly senior consultants, are forced to retire, and with that goes their knowledge and experience built up over many years. We are all aware of the difficulties in terms of the recruitment of new nurses and doctors.

All of this will do away with the litany of errors that have been made previously. It will address to some extent the issues around the changes that were made to the PRSI contributions and how the State pension is calculated in 2012. Importantly, it will give the employee a say. It will not force workers into remaining at work. Certainly, as Deputy Clare Daly stated, the intention is not to force workers to remain at work into their 80s or 90s, as in the example given in America where a very old lady was working behind a till, but to give workers the choice to retire when he or she sees fit.