The Current Retirement Age Law
The law relating to retirement age currently comprises:
- Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018
- Employment Equality Acts – s. 34(4)
- Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015
- Concept of “objective justification” and “legitimate aim”
- WRC Code of Practice on Longer Working
- IHREC Retirement and Fixed Term Contract Guidelines
- State Pension Age
Public Disquiet
Public disquiet about rising State Pension Age during General Election 2020 and general concerns gave rise to the formation of The Pensions Commission who held 18 plenary meetings between Nov 2020 and July 2021 and published their report in October 2021.
Recommendations of The Pension Commission
The recommendations of The Pension Commission were to:
- Align retirement ages in employment contracts with the State Pension Age.
- Enact legislation which allows (but does not compel) employees to stay on to State Pension Age.
- The legislation would apply to existing and new employment contracts.
They stated that in strictly limited cases where a retirement age below the State Pension Age continues to apply, employers would be required to give notice to workers in order to ensure that the worker is aware that a retirement age below the State Pension Age applies, and to evidence compliance with the law in terms of objective justification by a legitimate aim and appropriate and necessary means.
Use of Successive Fixed-Term Contracts
The Commission recommended a review by the relevant Government Department or statutory body to:
- Provide clarity on the use of successive post-retirement fixed term contracts
Retirement Age in the Future
The Commission recommended a gradual incremental increase in the State Pension Age by three months each year commencing in 2028, reaching 67 in 2031 (10 years from now), with further increases of three months every second year reaching 68 in 2039.
- 66 now
- 67 2031
- 68 2039
What Year Will I Retire in Ireland & What Age Will I Be?
Taking all this information into account, have a look at our chart to see what year you can retire in Ireland based on the year you were born. This shows the ramifications if the current recommendation is voted into law.
| Year Born | Original Year Of Retirement | New Year Of Retirement | Retirement Age |
| 1956 | 2022 | 2022 | 66 |
| 1957 | 2023 | 2023 | 66 |
| 1958 | 2024 | 2024 | 66 |
| 1959 | 2025 | 2025 | 66 |
| 1960 | 2026 | 2026 | 66 |
| 1961 | 2027 | 2027 | 66 |
| 1962 | 2028 | 2028 | 66 |
| 1963 | 2029 | 2029 | 66 |
| 1964 | 2030 | 2030 | 66 |
| 1965 | 2031 | 2032 | 67 |
| 1966 | 2032 | 2033 | 67 |
| 1967 | 2033 | 2034 | 67 |
| 1968 | 2034 | 2035 | 67 |
| 1969 | 2035 | 2036 | 67 |
| 1970 | 2036 | 2037 | 67 |
| 1971 | 2037 | 2038 | 67 |
| 1972 | 2038 | 2039 | 67 |
| 1973 | 2039 | 2041 | 68 |
| 1974 | 2040 | 2042 | 68 |
| 1975 | 2041 | 2043 | 68 |
| 1976 | 2042 | 2044 | 68 |
| 1977 | 2043 | 2045 | 68 |
| 1978 | 2044 | 2046 | 68 |
| 1979 | 2045 | 2047 | 68 |
| 1980 | 2046 | 2048 | 68 |
| 1981 | 2047 | 2049 | 68 |
| 1982 | 2048 | 2050 | 68 |
| 1983 | 2049 | 2051 | 68 |
| 1984 | 2050 | 2052 | 68 |
| 1985 | 2051 | 2053 | 68 |
| 1986 | 2052 | 2054 | 68 |
| 1987 | 2053 | 2055 | 68 |
| 1988 | 2054 | 2056 | 68 |
| 1989 | 2055 | 2057 | 68 |
| 1990 | 2056 | 2058 | 68 |
| 1991 | 2057 | 2059 | 68 |
| 1992 | 2058 | 2060 | 68 |
| 1993 | 2059 | 2061 | 68 |
| 1994 | 2060 | 2062 | 68 |
| 1995 | 2061 | 2063 | 68 |
| 1996 | 2062 | 2064 | 68 |
| 1997 | 2063 | 2065 | 68 |
| 1998 | 2064 | 2066 | 68 |
| 1999 | 2065 | 2067 | 68 |
| 2000 | 2066 | 2068 | 68 |
| 2001 | 2067 | 2069 | 68 |
| 2002 | 2068 | 2070 | 68 |
| 2003 | 2069 | 2071 | 68 |
| 2004 | 2070 | 2072 | 68 |
