Ireland

This chapter considers the gender and healthHealth implicationsHealth implications of policies designedPolicy/ies design to extend working lives in IrelandIreland from a feminist political economy of ageingPolitical economy of ageing perspective. The socio-economic context, gender, pension and employment regimeGender pension regime and the recent economic recessionRecession are discussed. Older IrishIrish women’s employment has increased from a low baseLow base but is still relatively low. There is a gender payGender pay gap gapGap pay and a higher gender pensionGender pension gap gapGap pension . 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 unpaidCaring, care, caregiving care-workCare unpaid . State pension ageState pension age has increased quickly though the population is relatively young. For private sectorPrivate sector workers, retirement ageRetirement age(s) is typically 65, leaving a gap betweenGap between pension and retirement age retirement age and state pension ageState pension age , currently 66 increasing to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028.