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

Like the Deputy, I welcome the judgment of the Workplace Relations Commission and hope it sends a signal to the many people who find themselves in similar circumstances to Ms Valerie Cox. As the Deputy noted, the Government has agreed to increase the compulsory retirement age from 65 years to 70 for public servants who were recruited before 1 April 2004. It has also approved the scheme of a Bill to give effect to this policy change which is now to be treated as a priority. The Attorney General has requested the prioritising of the drafting of the legislation in order that the new compulsory retirement age will become effective as soon as possible. The drafting process is under way and an initial draft Bill is being prepared. The Bill is on the list of priority legislation for publication in the spring-summer session. It is not possible to determine the length of time it will take for it to be drafted and passed through both Houses, given the need for meticulous drafting, ongoing detailed policy considerations and the scheduling requirements of the Houses of the Oireachtas. However, as the Deputy noted, the Government has approved interim arrangements which will apply to public servants who reach the age of 65 years in the time between the Government decision and the commencement of the necessary legislation. I accept that is not ideal. People have come to me, as I suspect they have to the Deputy, who are coming up to the age threshold. We need to get on and deal with the legislation quickly. We appeal to other parties in the House to help us to do this quickly. It is a priority to turn what is a clear policy decision, with which I think everybody agrees, into legislation to bring clarity in order that people will not have to rely on what are not perfect interim measures but which are necessary to carry us over until the legislation is concluded.

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