From Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges ...

RetirementTable 12 indicates that only 20 per cent of respondents favoured discouraging workers over theretirement age from staying in employment while over 40 per cent favoured active encouragementto remain in employment after retirement age. It is noteworthy that while only 36 per cent of thoseaged under thirty favoured the latter approach, 55 per cent of those aged seventy years and overdid. Preferences did not vary with household income or education.Table 12: Views on encouraging/discouraging people over the retirement age to remain inpaid employment18-29 30-49 50-59 60-69 70+ Allyears years years years yearsShould be encouraged 36% 42% 45% 44% 55% 43%Should be discouraged 20% 17% 26% 20% 19% 20%Neither 42% 38% 25% 30% 21% 35%Don’t know 2% 3% 4% 6% 5% 3%Fixed retirement ages for particular categories of employee have been challenged in the courts inseveral countries in recent years and the appropriateness of a fixed retirement age is an issue that isfrequently discussed in the media. Table 13 indicates that 56 per cent of respondents were opposedto having a fixed retirement age with those aged under fifty being particularly likely to be opposed.This age group also had a slightly higher personal preference for early retirement (34 per centcompared to 31 per cent of the total population) (Table 14). People with higher levels of educationwere most likely to oppose mandatory retirement: 61 per cent of respondents whose highest level ofeducation was Leaving Certificate or higher compared to 52 per cent of those whose highest level ofeducation was Junior Certificate were opposed to mandatory retirement.25Table 13: Views on mandatory retirement18-29 30-49 50-59 60-69 70+ Allyears years years years yearsA fixed retirement age is unfair 60% 58% 49% 55% 54% 56%to older workers who may wishto keep working past retirementage and have the right to do soIt’s better to have a set age for 32% 32% 45% 39% 38% 35%everyone so people know wherethey are and can planOther 4% 8% 3% 4% 3% 5%Don’t know 4% 2% 3% 2% 5% 3%From Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges