Pensions will win the election in Ireland
Longstanding plans to increase Ireland’s statutory retirement age and the knock-on effects on pension payments have become an unexpected issue ahead of the Feb. 8 election, putting the government on the back foot.
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar called the election last week, but a pitch putting his diplomatic successes on Brexit at the center of the campaign has fallen flat with an electorate more concerned about deficits in housing and healthcare.
The issue of pensions has dominated the campaign in recent days amid anger from some private sector workers over being forced to retire at 65 but having to sign up for unemployment benefit until their state pension kicks in aged 66. Similar to other countries, Ireland raised the retirement age to 66 in 2014 but it is the long laid-out plan to raise it again to 67 from next year that has exercised older voters.
The threshold is due to increase again to 68 in 2028. “It’s the pension, stupid. That’s what’s going to win the election,” Eugene, a 65-year-old caller to national broadcaster RTE’s Liveline phone-in talk show, said on Wednesday. He was referring to Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 U.S. presidential slogan: “It’s the economy, stupid!”
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