Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When it comes to employment, we have made important progress. There are complexities where you have an existing contract of employment in place in the private sector that specifies a retirement age that is mandatory in nature at a certain point in time. However, beyond the existing contracts, it will be possible to make change and I know that is a policy area the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is focused on. We have a lot of issues that have to be considered when it comes to the changing demographic nature of our population and the consequences in terms of care, health, incomes into old age, property and the issue of underutilised residential stock. It always has to be on the basis of supporting people, giving them options and incentivising decisions rather than a stick approach. That is what will characterise the Government's approach to these issues.

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