Ireland

Abstract

This chapter considers the gender and health implications of policies designed to extend working lives in Ireland from a feminist political economy of ageing perspective. The socioeconomic context, gender, pension and employment regime and the recent economic recession are discussed. Older Irish women's employment has increased from a low base but is still relatively low. There is a gender pay gap and a higher gender pension gap. Women's pension coverage is low compared to men's and they are more reliant on the lower non-contributory state pension. Reforms link pension amounts more closely to participation in paid employment, disadvantaging women who are more likely to leave paid employment for unpaid care-work. State pension age has increased quickly though the population is relatively young. For private sector workers, retirement age is typically 65, leaving a gap between retirement age and state pension age, currently 66 increasing to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Lives and Retirement Timing of Older Nurses in Ireland

“…This exploratory study asks what are the main impacts of the pandemic for the working lives of older nurses in Ireland, including their own and their families’ health and wellbeing, and connectedly, how does the pandemic affect their decisions regarding their timing of their retirement? Considering nurses’ critical role on the front line of healthcare during the pandemic, understanding these issues will help inform future directions for employment policies for nurses in Ireland in a health system that was already under-resourced prior to the pandemic and at a time when the government is encouraging workers to extend their working lives [ 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”