Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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142. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has given consideration to removing or extending the mandatory retirement age within the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31298/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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An Interdepartmental Working Group, chaired by my Department was established in 2016 to examine the issues arising from prevailing retirement ages for workers in both the public and private sectors, in the context of the current age of entitlement to the State Pension and the scheduled increases to the State Pension age in 2021 and 2028. 

The Group, whose Report was agreed by Government last August, considered policy around retirement age in both the public and private sectors, examining implications arising from retirement ages now and in the future. The Group identified a set of framework principles to underpin policy in the area and made a number of recommendations assigned to Government Departments and Employer bodies for follow-up in that regard.  A copy of the Report is available online at  http://www.per.gov.ie/en/report-of-the-interdepartmental-group-on-fuller-working-lives.    

On foot of one of the recommendations of the Report my Department, with Public Service employers, was tasked to review the current statutory and operational considerations giving rise to barriers to extended participation in the public service workforce up to and including the current age of entitlement to the Contributory State Pension.  In the context of the review, which is well advanced, meetings were held with employers from all public service sectors, including the civil service, local authority and health sectors, supplemented by further interactions and discussions with the employers. 

Future policy in this area will be considered by Government following the outcome of the review.

Any change in the compulsory retirement ages for public servants would require primary legislation.