Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I am an action woman. Dr. Twomey has called for action on the issue of pensions. I would like to achieve over the next two years the abolition of mandatory retirement at 65 years. In my document, A New Approach to Ageing and Ageism, I made 28 recommendations on which I would like action to improve the quality of life of older people in Ireland, the first two of which concern compulsory retirement at 65 years. Mandatory retirement in the public sector for people who entered their posts before April 2004 is 65 years. This age limit was fixed at a time life expectancy was 65 years. In 2007 the retirement age of 65 is out of date. I put a valiant effort into including this proposal in the Fianna Fáil manifesto for the general election. It took a considerable effort because it was not the sexiest item around, but I am pleased that in An Agreed Programme for Government 2007 the abolition of mandatory and phased retirement has been agreed.

I would not like the Green Paper on pensions to introduce a measure whereby people would have to stay on in work until the age of 65 or 70. There should be choice in terms of when a person retires. A person should not be required to retire from his or her job when he or she reaches the age of 65. New entrants to the public sector after April 2004 can continue to work after the age of 65. Anybody who joined the Civil Service post-2004, therefore, can remain working for as long as he or she wishes. There is no mandatory retirement in the private sector but a contract is drawn up for people starting out requiring them to retire at 60 or 65.

As my colleagues who were Members with me in the previous Seanad are aware, the recommendations in my document are based on public meetings I held in this city over a period of two years. People came to my meetings who were in desperation. They told me they would have to retire in two years and were psychologically distressed, at 63, that they had to retire at the age of 65. They did not want to retire. Many women who attended my meetings told me that this was the second time they were being discriminated against. I include myself in that category. I had to give up my job when I married but I was fortunate in that I had a skill that I was able to use to earn an income. Many women approaching the age of 65, however, had to give up their jobs in the Civil Service when they married and now they are being discriminated against for a second time.

I want to outline four key reasons for abolishing the obligatory retirement ages. As the population ages, people who continue in employment longer will remain financial contributors to the economy, something the OECD argues will be of significant benefit to the economy. During the last session of the Seanad I attended a day conference in Paris on Ireland and pensions, and allowing people in this country to remain in their jobs was a key issue because of the pensions situation.

The second reason is the availability of more experienced and senior staff to help people taking up jobs. Why would a person be let go when he or she is coming into the peak of his or her experience and skill?

I remind Members who were not in the House on the previous occasion that politicians do not have to retire at the age of 65. The people who make the regulations for the people who work in the public and private sectors can continue working for as long as they wish. Eamon de Valera was 76 and still working in the Oireachtas.