Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2017
116. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current policy in respect of semi-State employees having their retirement age extended to 66 years of age (details supplied); and if he has issued or intends to issue guidance to semi-State companies in this regard. [3587/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTerms and conditions of employees of commercial state bodies (other than the Chief Exective Officer) are generally a matter for the body concerned and I have no direct input in relation to those terms and condition. However, in relation to public servants generally including those in non-commercial state bodies, the Deputy may be aware that an Interdepartmental Working Group, chaired by my Department, was established in early 2016. This Group was to examine the issues arising from prevailing retirement ages for workers in both the public and private sectors, in the context of the increase in the State Pension age from 65 to 66 in 2014 and the scheduled further increases to the State Pension age in 2021 and 2028.
The Group, whose Report was agreed by Government last August, considered policy around retirement age in both the public and private sectors, examining implications arising from retirement ages now and in the future. The Group identified a set of framework principles to underpin policy in the area and made a number of recommendations assigned to Government Departments and Employer bodies for follow-up in that regard. A copy of the Report is available online at http://www.per.gov.ie/en/report-of-the-interdepartmental-group-on-fuller-working-lives/.
On foot of one of the recommendations of the Report, my Department, with Public Service employers, was tasked to review the current statutory and operational considerations giving rise to barriers to extended participation in the public service workforce up to and including the current age of entitlement to the Contributory State Pension. This review is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the Q2 2017.
