Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2016
87. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans regarding raising and or abolishing the mandatory retirement age; and if there are plans under way to progress the Employment Equality (Abolition of Mandatory Retirement Age) Bill 2014. [38536/16]
View answerIn my role in the Department of Justice and Equality, I have responsibility for equality legislation, which provides for retirement ages in line with the relevant EU Directive provision that differences of treatment on the grounds of age are permissible if, within the context of national law, they are objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate aim including legitimate employment policy, labour market and vocational training objectives, and if the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary.
I have no Ministerial responsibility for retirement age issues generally either in the public sector (where mandatory retirement ages are a feature of public sector employment law) or the private sector (where there is no statutory retirement age).
The Bill to which the Deputy refers was a Private Members' Bill and I am not aware of any plans to advance it.
