Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
189. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the circumstances in which each Government Department, State agency or semi-State agency can allow employees to stay on in employment beyond retirement age. [73127/25]
View answerThe mandatory retirement age for public and civil service roles generally is 70 years under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 and the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018.
This applies to members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme and to members of pre-existing pension schemes who are not classified as New Entrants under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. For those who are deemed to be New Entrants they have no maximum retirement age.
There are no provisions or mechanisms in place to allow for retention in employment beyond an individual’s mandatory retirement age.
Note that the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation does not have responsibility for retirement ages or retention policy in respect of members of An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, Fire Services, or the Irish Prison Service. These matters fall within the remit of the respective Ministers with responsibility for these services.
Further, the retirement ages in commercial state bodies are set out in the rules of the relevant pension scheme. Any terms and conditions of employment allowing staff to continue in employment beyond retirement age is a matter in the first instance for the parent Minister of the commercial body.
