Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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562. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department, and the Prison Service, will consider extending the mandatory retirement age for prison officers beyond the current 62 years. [56612/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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In 2024, Government approved increasing the maximum retirement age to 62 years of age for a number of the uniform services, including the Irish Prison Service. This increased retirement age reflects the reality across all sectors that people can and want to work in their chosen careers for longer.

The legislative basis to increase the retirement age was included in the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024. Section 28 of this Act amended the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 to provide a power to make regulations relating to the retirement age of prison officers. The Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 (Retirement of Prison Officers) Regulations 2024 were made pursuant to this power and specified a maximum retirement age of 62 years for prison officers with effect from 19 August 2024.

I can advise the Deputy that while there are currently no plans to increase the retirement age of prison officers further, these matters are kept under review.