Age awareness week highlights urgent need for retirement review

This is age awareness week and Alliance MLA Kieran McCarthy has put pressure on government to look urgently at reviewing the age of retirement law, saying there can be no justification for allowing employers to force people to retire at 65. His comments come after last week’s failed court bid to challenge this law.

Kieran McCarthy MLA stated: “The government must urgently review this matter because forcing people to retire at 65 is nothing short of a disgrace. Waiting until next year to conduct this review is not that useful as we could have a change of government by then.

“This must be all about choice. People need to be allowed to decide for themselves about how long they want or need to work for. We need fairness for older people.

“Society is changing, people are living longer and this must be reflected in employment practice. Employment law needs to come into the 21st century and we need to see a review of this rule now. What better time to put pressure on government to make a change than on age awareness week.”

ENDS