Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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174. To ask the Minister for Health his proposals to enable persons employed by the Health Service Executive at clerical officer and other grades to continue employment beyond 65 years of age if they so desire; if he is considering amending the statutory framework to allow persons who express this desire to do so, particularly in the context of other changes in recent years in the welfare area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13868/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 among other things removed the compulsory age for certain categories of new entrants to the public service who joined on or after 1 April 2004. These employees are generally referred to as "new entrants" and under the Act new entrants are not required to retire on age grounds.

Those public servants that were serving in the public service prior to 1 April 2004 are generally referred to as "non new entrants" who are in the main required to retire at the age of 65 years.

The Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and other Provisions Act 2012, provides that members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, which commenced for new entrants to the public service on or after 1 January 2013, may retire from State Pension Age (currently 66 rising to 68 in 2028).

A Private Members Bill, The Longer Healthy Living Bill 2015, passed Second Stage in the Seanad on the 30 September 2015. The Bill aims to ensure that all those who are employees of the Department of Health, and all those who are employed by bodies directly funded by the Department of Health, may, if they wish, postpone their retirement where they would otherwise have been forced to retire at a particular age that is stipulated in their employment contract, subject to their continuing capacity to fulfil the duties of their employment in a safe fashion. Consideration of the issue of retirement age will therefore arise as The Longer Healthy Living Bill 2015 progresses through the legislative process.