Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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51. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to address the anomaly whereby those who must retire from the public sector at 65 years of age do not receive a pension until they reach 66 years of age and instead receive dole payments in the intervening months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6951/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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There is no legally mandated retirement age in the State, and the age at which employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment between them and their employers, whether they are in the public or private sector.

The Department of Public Expenditure & Reform is responsible for the terms and conditions of employment and pensions of public servants, including the age at which they may be required to retire. I am informed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that the specific compulsory retirement age and minimum pension age provisions which affect individual public servants will reflect their particular employment sector and time of original recruitment.

The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the standardising of State pension age for all at 66 years and the cessation of State pension transition. The State pension age will increase to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028. The changes introduced in 2011 were on foot of a Government commitment included in the National Recovery Plan published in 2010.

While it is hoped that, where appropriate, workers will choose and be able to work to pension age and beyond if that is there choice, it is recognised that for some this is not viable and there are measure to support them in such circumstances. All short term social welfare schemes are payable to age 66, where people satisfy the criteria for qualification. Specifically, in relation to jobseekers benefit and jobseekers allowance, there are a number of transitioning provisions applying in the case of people who are aged between 65 and 66. Social welfare benefits will continue to be available to the age of 66 for those who are required to leave employment. Jobseekers whose benefit expires in their 65th year will continue to be paid benefit up until the age of 66. Where a jobseeker’s benefit claim spans two benefit years, a new Governing Contribution Year requirement is not applied to the second benefit year of a claimant aged 65 (effectively this means that they may receive payment in both years based upon eligibility in the first year).

An interdepartmental group on fuller working lives has been set up by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This group will examine the issues related to longer working in private and public sectors.