Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation for older people, has while welcoming it expressed its disappointment with today’s report on longer working lives from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, describing it as a missed opportunity.
Eamon Timmins, CEO of Age Action, said: “Every year older workers are forced out of their jobs and onto the dole because of mandatory retirement ages.
“While other countries around the world are abolishing these ageist restrictions and supporting older workers our members will be very disappointed that there is no plan to do the same here.
“There are also no proposals to address the anomaly that workers are facing retirement at the age of 65 but unable to claim the State Pension until they turn 66, pushing them onto Jobseeker’s Benefit.
Age Action did highlight some proposals that, if implemented, will help older workers.
Mr Timmins continued: “The training supports identified in the report are badly needed.
“Improving awareness among employees and employers about the advantages of working longer is also sensible and it’s good to see the department looking at barriers faced by public sector workers.
“But the Government’s National Positive Ageing Strategy commits to removing the barriers to continued employment for older people and this report is a missed opportunity do just that.”
For more information contact Justin Moran on 087 968 2449 or Gerard Scully on 087 9682536
