asked the Minister for Labour the action and programmes his Department organise to assist workers in the transition from work to retirement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Retirement Programmes.
14.
The organisation of action and programmes to assist workers in the transition from work to retirement traditionally has been perceived as a part of good personnel management policy rather than as a function of Government. Thus, my Department have not been called upon to involve themselves in this area.
In so far as my Department's own staff are concerned, all officers who have reached the minimum retirement age, i.e. 60 years, or will do so within five years, are advised of the arrangements for the retirement planning courses run by the Civil Service Training Centre.
The two-day retirement planning course is open to all civil servants and attendance is treated as official duty with full pay.
Would the Minister consider putting together some scheme to assist workers in the transition from work to retirement? All Members of this House have contact with people in retirement who are not aware of their statutory entitlements or how to find out about them. If not an indictment of all of us, it is certainly an indictment of the personnel system. Apart from a few major firms which are exceptions, people are not made aware of their entitlements. Since personnel departments will not carry out this function, perhaps it could be undertaken by the Department of Labour. It would be of great social value.
There is merit in what the Deputy is proposing. I suggest that it would be best for me to consider the proposal within the Department and then come back to the Deputy.