Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2017
1231. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she plans to take to address the situation whereby those who are forced to retire at 65 years of age must claim jobseeker's allowance until they reach retirement age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34637/17]
View answerThere is no statutory retirement age in the State, and the age at which employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment between them and their employers.
The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the standardising of State pension age for all at 66 years and the cessation of State pension transition. The State pension age will increase to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028.
Where a person exits the workforce before reaching State pension age they may apply for either the jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance schemes. Jobseeker’s payments are paid to eligible jobseekers aged 18 to 66 years and all recipients of a jobseeker’s payment are subject to the rules of the scheme.
People in receipt of a jobseeker's payment must engage with my Department's activation measures and can face sanctions if they fail to do so. However, from January 2014 these criteria were eased for people aged 62 and over, such that they are not obliged to engage with the activation process. They are still able to voluntarily avail of an array of supports, which are available from my Department if they wish to return to work, training or education. Furthermore the majority of these individuals will have to register with their local office only once a year and their payments will be paid directly into their bank accounts.
Once a person has exhausted their entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit they may be eligible for jobseeker’s allowance, subject to the means test and other qualifying conditions. However, someone claiming jobseeker’s benefit from a date after their 65th birthday continues to be eligible for that payment until reaching State pension age.
