Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The answer to that question is "Yes". As I said, because historically military life placed unique demands on individuals, it was considered necessary that Defence Forces personnel had to be prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations. The compulsory retirement ages for ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are considerably lower than in other employments.

The Public Service Pay Commission, in its report on recruitment and retention in the Permanent Defence Force in 2019, included in its recommendations the need to consider options to tackle barriers to extended participation in the Permanent Defence Force. A joint civil-military review was subsequently completed in 2021. The report of the review group made a number of recommendations for extended service limits across a number of ranks in the Defence Forces.

As current pension arrangements for personnel enlisted to the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 January 1994 are based on date of entry to the Defence Forces, any proposals to amend the length of service requires the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, as there are impacts on accrued pension liabilities. In December 2021, the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform agreed to allow for an extended service limit for privates and corporals recruited post 1 January 1994, to serve beyond the 21-year service limit that existed before that date up to a revised service limit of 50 years of age, subject to them meeting certain criteria, including medical and fitness standards.

An interim arrangement was also agreed to allow for the continuance in service of sergeants in the Permanent Defence Force who were due to be retired on age grounds at the end of 2022. Those sergeants who were recruited since 1 January 1994 and would be due to retire on the basis of mandatory retirement age in 2022 and 2023 will not be required to do so until the end of 2024. The fast accrual pension terms will continue for those additional years.

The Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform has established an interdepartmental working group to consider mandatory retirement ages and service limits for public service groups who have fast accrual occupational pension arrangements.

A number of meetings of this working group, of which the Department of Defence is a member, have taken place to date. The recommendations from the joint civil-military review of mandatory retirement ages of all ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are being considered as part of the work of this group.

There are clear staffing challenges across the Defence Forces. Compulsory retirement ages and service limits in the Defence Forces are one of the factors impacting manpower policy, which has to be balanced against the operational requirements of the Defence Forces. I discussed this matter recently with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Options for interim measures pending the outcome of the work of the interdepartmental group are being considered.

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