Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State. I saw him on "Prime Time" the other night and he batted brilliantly. He looked the part as well. Having seen him in his IFA days, he is playing a different role now, and is dressed for this one, as a politician. I am just being straight.

As Senator Glynn said, I do not want to parrot what other Members of the House have said for the last hour and a half. However, in a couple of weeks I shall be launching a document, A New Approach to Ageing and Ageism. One of its propositions is that mandatory retirement for all public service employees and obligatory retirement in the private sector should be abolished immediately. Continued employment should be subject to the same assessment criteria, competency, ability and good health, that are used by employers in the case of employees of all ages.

It is discrimination if a person has to retire at 65. In many cases women, including myself, had to retire when they got married in 1969. Many women of 65 have been discriminated against, twice. I have had many public meetings in developing my document, and people have been coming practically in tears who are having to retire this year although they do not wish to. For many people a job is not just about money. The social aspect is important as well. A quarter of those who retire every year would prefer to remain at work.

I am proposing there should be phased retirement. At the moment no measures are in place to aid the smooth transition between employment and retirement. People who choose to retire often find the abrupt transition from full-time employment difficult to cope with. Some 70% of people would prefer a process of phased retirement. This concept is supported by the Equality Authority in its 2002 document, Equality for Older People. I propose we introduce phased retirement options to allow workers to gradually retire and offset the impact of a sudden cessation of working life. The ability to phase retirement would begin at the employee's minimum retirement age, in agreement with the employer. Part-time work options should also be introduced to allow older people to supplement pension shortfalls — in order to delay the drawing down of pensions pending higher returns. That is putting it in a nutshell. I will launch an extensive document at the end of May on my new approach to ageing and ageism. I hope it will have the same impact as my document on a new approach to child care which was produced a year and a half ago.