Motion no: 32
Conference will be aware that in the Republic of Ireland the age at which workers become eligible for the contributory State pension is increasing to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. The decision to make this change was taken without consultation with workers’ representatives
and without consideration of the implications for workers and their families. While increases in the pension age are taking place in many countries, Ireland is currently on course to have the highest pension age in the OECD in 2028. We are going too far, too fast.
Similarly, in the UK, the State pension age has been gradually increased over the past two decades, with the 2017 decision to increase the pension age to 68 between 2037 and 2039, rather than from 2044 as was originally proposed. Nor should workers forget the treatment of thousands of women born in
the 1950s who have been affected by changes proposed by the 1995/2011 Pensions Acts, which included plans to increase women’s State pension age.
Congress calls on both Governments to reverse its decision to implement increases to the pension age and commit to engagement with the trade union movement on steps to address the challenges of population ageing and the financial sustainability of the pension system.
