State Pensions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 October 2025

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Tuesday, 7 October 2025

Questions (331, 341, 344)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

331. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government has a unified position on whether the retirement age will be raised in this Dáil [53107/25]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he intends to increase the State pension age in response to recent comments by the Governor of the Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53100/25]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

344. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if she accepts that life expectancy and healthy life expectancy vary significantly between income groups; and if so, how his Department proposes to ensure that raising the pension age would not disproportionately penalise those with shorter life spans. [53103/25]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 331, 341 and 344 together.

My Department is acutely aware of the potential impacts of the projected demographic changes on social protection supports, particularly in relation to the funding of State Pensions, however, there are no plans to increase the State Pension Age.

The previous Government established the Pensions Commission in November 2020 to examine eligibility and sustainability issues with the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, including the qualifying age. The Commission's Report, which was published on 7th October 2021, set out a range of recommendations for addressing the sustainability of the State Pension system including the gradual increase in the State Pension Age to 68 and increases in social insurance contribution rates.

In response to the Pensions Commission's recommendations, the then Government decided not to increase the State Pension Age but instead to fund the future sustainability of the State Pension system by implementing a series of gradual and incremental increases in PRSI rates for contributors. These increases total 0.7 percentage points between 2024 and 2028, with further increases to be considered, based on the most up-to-date data available from the next Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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