Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Every year, workers are forced out of their employment for no reason other than they have turned 65 years of age. Irish law allows their age to be the defining factor on whether they can continue in employment, regardless of their ability to carry out the work. This is possible because Irish law allows employers to impose mandatory retirement ages on staff contracts of employment, facilitating ageism within the workplace and creating a set of second-class employment rights for older workers.

Every worker in the State makes a significant and valuable contribution during their working lives. We talk about looking after older people who have contributed to the State throughout their lives, yet we force them onto the dole queue when they hit 65. We all know the vast majority of people at 65 will not get a job. At a time when citizens should be able to take their foot off the gas or continue working, this Government wants them to sign on the dole. It is a charade in which the Government is forcing older people to take part. To make matters worse, it wants them to take part in the charade for less money than they would have got on their pension. That is rubbing salt into the wounds.

Workers should have the right to retire at 65 with their State pension or the freedom to remain in work if they so decide. The Government cannot keep moving the goalposts when it comes to the retirement age for the State pension, from 65 to 66, and to 67 in the new year. The Government’s next move will be to increase the pension age to 68. Where will it stop? That is a real concern. A pension age of 68 would be one of the highest in the OECD. If someone wants to retire at 65, that should be their choice, taking into consideration their physical, mental and family circumstances. They must also have the choice to work on.

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