Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
164. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence what progress has been to address mandatory retirement ages for post-1994 personnel in the interdepartmental working group; the projected cost of increasing the retirement age to 55 years for privates, corporals and sergeants and 60 years for NCO ranks above that, if they meet all other required criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36267/23]
View answerMilitary life places unique demands on individuals and it is necessary that Defence Forces personnel are prepared to meet the challenges of all military operations. For this reason compulsory retirement ages for ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are considerably lower than in other employments.
A joint civil/military review of mandatory retirement ages and service limits in the Permanent Defence Force was completed in 2021. The Report of the Review Group made a number of recommendations for extended service limits across a number of ranks in the Defence Forces.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force have superannuation arrangements which allows them to accrue pension benefits over an accelerated shorter timeframe to compensate for the fact that they have to retire at a relatively early age. Any proposals to amend the service limits or retirement ages of members of the Defence Forces must therefore be in accordance with public sector pay and pension policy and requires the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
The Department for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform established an Inter-Departmental Working Group to consider mandatory retirement ages and service limits for public service groups who have 'fast accrual' occupational pension arrangements. The recommendations from the joint civil/military review of mandatory retirement ages in the Permanent Defence Force are being considered as part of the work of this group.
Pending the outcome of the work of the Interdepartmental Group, an interim arrangement has been secured which allows for the continuance in service, to the end of 2024, of Privates, Corporals and Sergeants who were recruited to the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 January 1994, who were due to be retired on age grounds at age 50 prior to that date.
The costs of extending the mandatory retirement ages across a number of ranks in the Permanent Defence Force are being developed and evaluated in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
