Q&A: Mandatory retirement age – Where does the law stand currently and what’s next?
Published on: 05/12/2025
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Matthew McGrogan Solicitor, A&L Goodbody LLP
Matthew McGrogan Solicitor, A&L Goodbody LLP
Matthew mcgrogan
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In this month's Q&A, Matthew McGrogan, Associate in A&L Goodbody's Employment Group, considers how the law on mandatory retirement ages is currently being interpreted by the WRC following a landmark 2024 Supreme Court decision, and takes a look at what the upcoming “Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 means for employers.

What is the current law in relation to mandatory retirement? 

An employer can set a contractual mandatory retirement age (MRA) in accordance with Irish employment equality legislation, provided it can be objectively justified.

In the 2024 case of Seamus Mallon v the Minister for Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General [2024] IESC 2024 (Mallon), the Supreme Court upheld that general retirement ages are permissible,

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Disclaimer The information in this article is provided as part of Legal Island's Employment Law Hub. We regret we are not able to respond to requests for specific legal or HR queries and recommend that professional advice is obtained before relying on information supplied anywhere within this article. This article is correct at 05/12/2025
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