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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

Vol. 932 No. 1

Employment Equality (Abolition of Mandatory Retirement Age) Bill 2016: First Stage

I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Employment Equality Act 1998 and to provide for related matters.

The Bill seeks to abolish the mandatory retirement age. In introducing the Bill, I acknowledge the work of a former Member of the House, Ms Anne Ferris, who sought to introduce this abolition in 2014.

Every year workers are forced out of their jobs because of their age. Irish law currently permits employers to set mandatory retirement ages in their employees' contracts. There are exceptions in the Bill for those in security-related employment who have special retirement ages already set. Age should not determine whether someone can do their job.

The Bill is about giving people a choice. Some might be eager and ready to retire. Some might need to work past the age of 65 to make up further contributions for their State pension to avoid poverty, while others might simply want to work beyond the age of 65.

An argument brought up repeatedly when it comes to abolishing the mandatory retirement age is that having a mandatory retirement age is necessary to facilitate youth employment. In reality, evidence suggests that reducing participation of older people in the workforce does not lead to increased employment for young people. This link has been dismissed by the OECD and the IZA World of Labor report 2014. If we consider the Bill from a financial perspective alone, financially it makes sense for an older worker to remain in employment, contributing to the Exchequer, instead of receiving payments from it.

A number of organisations have called for the abolition of the mandatory retirement age for many years. I commend the efforts of Age Action Ireland to highlight this issue and to work towards making it happen. Public opinion also supports the abolition of mandatory retirement age. Last month an online poll conducted by thejournal.ie found that 70% of respondents wanted to see mandatory retirement abolished.

In recent years a number of pension reforms have caused huge hardship for our older citizens and have particularly impacted on women. The Bill represents an opportunity for us to do something positive for those who wish to work beyond 65. The Bill is fundamentally about choice. It will put an end to the facilitation of ageism which should have no place in our society.

Is the Bill opposed?

Question put and agreed to.

Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Question put and agreed to.
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