Some gardaí have been given permission to work until they are aged 64 years, with their unprecedented extensions of service approved after they expressed the wish to continue working.
The development means though they were entitled to retire on full pension aged 50 years, they are now opting to stay on for much longer.
It is the first time in the history of An Garda Síochána that the retirement age for a group of members has been increased in this way, as a new mechanism to allow for extension of service has begun to be used.
Garda Headquarters said while Garda members “can generally retire after 30 years’ service to the State the majority continue providing that valuable service until compulsory retirement age”. And now policing careers could continue for more than 40 years, as recent changes begin to take effect.
READ MORE
It added the trend of older members opting to remain serving until 62 years, and even applying for extensions beyond that, had helped curtail retirements, which had declined by 36 per cent; from 340 in 2022 to 218 last year.
The mandatory retirement age for those of garda, sergeant and inspector rank was previously 57 years, though that was increased to 60 years in 2004. It was extended again 18 months ago to 62 years, for all Garda members, under the An Garda Síochána Retirement Regulations 2024.
However, even on reaching the age of 62, some members have now applied for special extensions of service to continue working and have been granted those extensions for up to two years.
The move by Garda Headquarters to sanction the extensions is designed to retain experienced personnel, especially criminal investigators, in the force. It comes at a time when retirements are expected to spike, as those gardaí who joined the force as part of a recruitment surge 30-40 years ago, due to the Troubles, are reaching retirement age.
New data from the Department of Justice reveals 112 Garda members have opted to remain in the force beyond the age of 60 years, since the mandatory retirement age was increased to 62 years in September 2024.
Of those, 21 have been granted further extensions of service; four until they are aged 63 years and 17 until they are aged 64 years. Garda sources told The Irish Times they expected more members to apply to remain working once it became clear the additional extensions of service were being granted.
Wexford Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne who raised the matter with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, welcomed the news. He said experience was being retained within the Garda, adding those gardaí who felt willing and capable of continuing to work should be facilitated.
“Long serving gardaí have a lot of experience and if they want to continue, we should keep them in the force. This applies to other careers as well. I think these are positive figures.”
