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'Workers are being told "bugger off, you're 65 now". It's not fair'

The Independent Alliance want Paschal Donohoe to give workers the option to work until the age of 66 if they choose.

THE INDEPENDENT ALLIANCE has called on the Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to give workers the option to work until the age of 66 if they choose.

Currently in Ireland, public servants and many employees in the private sector, are forced to retire at the age of 65.

This has resulted in pushing thousands of people onto social welfare for a year before their State Pension kicks in at the age of 66.

In February, the government accepted, in principle, a Sinn Féin Bill abolishing the mandatory retirement age, deciding not to oppose the Bill.

The issue was highlighted again in July, but this time by Fianna Fáil’s welfare spokesman Willie O’Dea, who said 5,000 people have been forced onto social welfare for 12 months.

The situation will become more acute in the years to come as a result of changes to the State Pension.

In 2021, the qualifying age for the State Pension will rise to 67 and in 2028, a person will not be entitled to receive their State Pension until they reach the age of 68.

With the Independent Alliance, whose members include Transport Minister Shane Ross, Minister for State of the OPW Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Minister of State for Disabilities, Finian McGrath and Minister of State for Training and Skills John Halligan, throwing their weight behind the issue, it could result in real action.

Donohoe could lead the way

Independent Alliance TD Sean Canney told TheJournal.ie that Minister Donohoe could “lead the way by changing the current rules for public servants” adding that the private sector could follow his lead.

Canney said it has become “a real issue for many people both in the public and private sectors”.

For some people forced to retire, it has been a case of “bugger off, you’re 65 now. People shouldn’t be treated like that,” he said.

“There is a huge knowledge base there that shouldn’t just be dismissed,” he added.

By giving workers the option to stay in the workplace until they reach ‘pensionable age’, this means that they will continue to contribute to the Exchequer and would not have to claim social welfare payments to carry them through to when the pension is payable.

It’s understood it was raised with the minister prior to the Budget, with Canney indicating it is something he wanted to address in the future.

This is not something we can just let drift,” said Canney, who added that he did not foresee the issue causing any controversy between the Independent Alliance and Fine Gael in government.

“It’s not something that is controversial, it makes sense that it needs to be looked at,” said the Galway TD.

In response to the calls for the retirement age to be addressed, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said an interdepartmental working group was set up last year to examine and report on the issues arising from the current retirement ages for workers in both the public and private sectors.

While looking at both sectors, the department is only responsible for retirement ages of those in the public sector.

On foot of one of the recommendations of the report, the department was tasked to review the current statutory and operational considerations to allowing workers extend their participation in the public service workforce up to and including the current age of entitlement to the Contributory State Pension.

That review is well advanced, with the department stating that any policy in this area will be considered by government following the outcome of the review.

Pension anomaly 

Anomalies surrounding the State Pension hit the headlines recently, due to a number of men and women being penalised for taking time out of the workforce resulting in them losing out on €30 per week.

Today, the government suffered a series of embarrassing Dáil defeats, most notably on a Fianna Fáil motion that proposes an end to the pension anomaly.

However, Sinn Féin has hit out at Fianna Fáil for not supporting its amendment to the motion, which would include an acknowledgement of the fact that there are more 65 year olds on Jobseekers payments than any other age category in the State and called on the government to restore the State Pension Transition until such time as mandatory retirement is abolished.

“This is an issue that Fianna Fáil has raised on the floor of the Dáil yet, when it came to addressing the issue, they chose to turn their backs on these people,” said Sinn Féin’s John Brady.

Read: No public health policy has ‘been designed with the homeless population specifically in mind’

Read: The man who pioneered a solution to homelessness: Give people homes

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    Mute ...
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:12 PM

    Go on home to your sexy wives !

    178
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    Mute Yeah Ok
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:13 PM

    If the Swedish government need someone to go over to Sweden and have lots of sex with lots of sexy blonde Swedish women I’m game. Willing to do my bit to help the world.

    151
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    Mute Peter Fechter
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:06 PM

    I think Sweden might just have bigger fish to fry than Coitus right now…and for many years to come….

    121
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    Mute Sue
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:10 PM

    There is probably a lack of consensual sex going on in fairness.
    But at least society isn’t too white anymore! Yucky Caucasians!

    97
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    Mute Wayne O'Fathaigh
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:17 PM

    It’s funny I spend half the year surrounded by Approx 1,500 Swedes and none of them seem to think they have the issues you regularly highlight! Maybe living there they know something you don’t

    27
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    Mute Beachmaster
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    Jul 29th 2016, 5:05 PM
    40
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    Mute Roly Burkinshaw
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    Jul 29th 2016, 7:11 PM

    Plenty of sex going on …if being held down in an ally and gang raped by 6 Muslims counts ??

    37
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    Mute Dan Wikström
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    Jul 29th 2016, 10:41 PM

    We’re to busy having our coffee breaks (Fika) and judge people who earn more than us. And wish someone else would do something about it.

    6
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    Mute sean byrne
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:08 PM

    No sex please, we’re multicultural.

    100
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:51 AM

    Multiculchies you mean?

    1
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    Mute Methodical Insanity
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:46 PM

    Might have something to do with the fact that they’ve spent decades demonising traditionally “masculine” behaviour and possibly even broken the native Swedish men to the point were they’re probably afraid they might be considered a sex offender for daring to so much as even flirt with a woman. Meanwhile, they’ve imported an actual real life rape culture, let it run wild and free, and done everything in their power is done to cover this up. There seems to be plenty of sex happening in Sweden. It just isn’t consensual and Swedish men aren’t usually getting any.

    87
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    Mute Dan Wikström
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    Jul 29th 2016, 10:42 PM

    Call me feminine again, and I swear I will hit you with my handbag. Behave.

    19
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:16 PM

    If you’re talking about sex then you’re not getting any.

    80
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    Mute Tommy Gunn
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:27 PM

    The imported enrichers are having loads of “sex”with local Swedish women

    62
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    Mute Dave Smith
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:57 PM

    Sweden has broken their men , they are ladyboys now compared to their Viking heritage. Maybe their women are hoping to get some action from the new invaders?

    61
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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:09 PM

    So, does the Swedish government want to encourage its citizens to have more sex? if so, I wonder how they’ll go about that.

    55
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    Mute Gerry with a J
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:39 PM

    I’d imagine they’ll just do what our government do to us and f*(k them when they’re least expecting it.

    79
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:40 PM

    Tax incentives.

    11
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:48 AM

    No, it will be an excuse to add more migrants to their population?

    1
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    Mute Winston Smith
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:22 PM

    Swedish Blondes having less sex!!! I think the country needs more Psychiatrists for the male population.

    44
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    Mute Matthew Whelan
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:37 PM

    There just worried if they’ll be a minority in 40 years to come!

    44
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    Mute Cillian McCormick
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:13 PM

    But their wives are so sexy.

    43
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    Mute Les McQueen
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    Jul 29th 2016, 4:43 PM

    Until they become your wife….

    58
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    Mute Aidan Holland
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    Jul 29th 2016, 5:57 PM

    I actually find this incredibly sad men in Sweden now are probably afraid to talk to woman due to the radical feminist movement in that country. The one bright spot is there a new kind of men in Sweden now and believe me girls they wont take no for an answer

    39
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    Mute John Ward
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    Jul 29th 2016, 5:50 PM

    Swedes eh? Well, that’s a turnip for the book!

    28
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    Mute Dan Wikström
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    Jul 29th 2016, 10:43 PM

    Radish-ing news, isn’t it? :o

    11
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:47 AM

    I’m thinking of melons now after that…

    1
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    Mute Dan Wikström
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    Jul 29th 2016, 10:37 PM

    Swede here! I’m not sure this article is entirely true. I have sex constantly.
    I wish I wasn’t alone when i do, though. :/

    27
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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Jul 29th 2016, 6:15 PM

    I’m no sociologist but I think when electricity becomes available in a country the birth rate plummets 20 to 30 years later. Education and contraception are the main reasons but people sitting around watching television and on computers instead of having sex doesn’t help.

    27
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Jul 29th 2016, 5:33 PM

    Tyrn off the Red Light probably has something to do with it.
    And feminists.

    21
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    Mute Patrick Gough
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    Jul 29th 2016, 5:41 PM

    If it’s a jailable offence to have paid for sex I’m not surprised nobody is taking a chance

    15
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:44 AM

    Plenty are still doing it here…

    1
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    Mute Garreth Byrne
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    Jul 29th 2016, 7:25 PM

    In some countries of Western Europe there is too much sex and not enough babies born to maintain the population level. Some societies aren’t reproducing themselves and depend on continued immigration to keep the economy functioning. The Swedish Government should be taking a hard look at the birth rate.

    12
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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Jul 29th 2016, 9:21 PM

    Or bring in millions of migrants.

    9
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    Mute Frank's Cat
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    Jul 30th 2016, 12:10 AM

    *Rolls up sleeves* Time to help our Swedish cousins…

    11
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:50 AM

    Sex with cousins, yikes…

    1
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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Jul 29th 2016, 9:20 PM

    probably will end up lowering the age of consent to 5

    6
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Jul 29th 2016, 11:52 PM
    4
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    Mute Sean Walsh
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    Jul 29th 2016, 11:35 PM

    Down with that sort of thing

    4
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:52 AM

    They can’t see what they are doing in the winter, then there is the cold and in the summer they can’t do it in sunlight?

    1
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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Jul 31st 2016, 3:44 AM

    50 shades of Sweden?

    1
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