Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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189. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if consideration is being given to extending the right to work up to 70 years of age, which now applies to public servants and employees of semi-State companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4008/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I take it that the Deputy is asking whether the provisions of the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018, which applies to public servants, can be extended to employees of commercial State bodies.

The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 came into effect on 26 December 2018. The Act provides for an increase in the compulsory retirement age to 70, for public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004. Under the Act, any relevant public servant who had not already reached his/her compulsory retirement age before 26 December 2018 now has a new compulsory retirement age of 70.

Most pre-2004 public servants are covered by the new Act, other than a member of the uniformed pension fast accrual group, such as Gardaí, Prison Officers, Fire Fighters and members of the Permanent Defence Force who, for operational reasons are required to retire early.

In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have responsibility for the terms and conditions of public servants only. As the Deputy will be aware, employees of non-commercial State bodies are public servants and they are, therefore, covered by the new Act. Employees of commercial State bodies are not public servants. The terms and conditions, including compulsory retirement age, of employees of commercial State bodies (other than the Chief Executive Officer), are generally a matter for the body concerned and I have no direct input in relation to those terms and conditions.