Private sector workers may work until age 66

A new bill will allow private sector workers in Ireland to work until the age of 66. This will remove the current requirement for employees to retire at 65, which is one year before they can receive their State pension. Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke plans to present this idea to the Cabinet. The change is aimed at aligning the contractual retirement age with the State pension age. Many workers have been forced to retire at 65 without being eligible for a pension until 66. This bill stems from recommendations made by the Pensions Commission. Most public sector employees already have the option to stay at work until they reach 66. In a separate matter, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan will also present a memo to discuss the implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in Ireland. The pact requires countries to establish new procedures for migrants and asylum seekers, including biometric data collection and faster assessments for applicants from certain countries. Additionally, Minister for Housing James Browne will update Cabinet about the first meeting of the Limerick Mayoral and Government Consultative Forum. This forum will focus on issues like housing delivery, transport, and local government reform.