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PODCAST · 12 AUGUST 2026

Contractual Retirement Ages Act 2025 (Podcast)

Arthur Cox
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Ireland's Contractual Retirement Ages Act 2025 introduces a consent-based framework that fundamentally changes how employers manage retirement. When employees with contractual retirement ages below 66 notify their employer they wish to continue working, organizations must now apply an individualized objective justification test rather than relying on general policy rationales.

IrelandEmployment and HR
Róisín O’Donoghue
Róisín O’Donoghue
Melissa O'Sullivan
Melissa O'Sullivan
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In this episode of our podcast, Róisín O’Donoghue and Melissa O’Sullivan, Associates in our Employment Law Group, discuss the Contractual Retirement Ages Act 2025 and the Revised Code of Practice on Longer Working, both of which came into effect on 29 June 2026.

This episode covers:

  • The new consent-based framework for employees whose contractual retirement age falls below the State pension age
  • The notification process, employers’ response obligations and the distinction between individual and class-based objective justification tests
  • The practical implications of the new regime, including the need for clear procedures, regular reviews of retirement policies and robust record-keeping

Listen to the full episode below or get in touch with a member of our Employment Group here: https://www.arthurcox.com/services/employment/

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