Firefighters are stepping up their campaign to end the mandatory retirement age of 55, common in many local authorities.
A committee from SIPTU, representing the firefighters, will meet tomorrow to consider a recent recommendation from the Labour Court on the matter.
SIPTU asked the Labour Court to review the blanket 55 retirement age, mandatory in many local authorities, and to look into inconsistencies within some authorities on the retirement age.
Not all 1,800 retained or part-time firefighters in the State are affected, Mr Matt Merrigan of SIPTU pointed out, as many had not imposed the ban.
But there is inconsistency, and the mandatory retirement age where it does apply to the part-time fire-fighters affects pension rights in particular.
The Labour Court has recommended the setting up of an expert working group to report back within 12 months.
The need to maintain a blanket retirement age of 55, from a health and safety perspective should be objectively assessed by the parties with the assistance of suitable experts, the Labour Court noted. Any resolution of the dispute cannot be on terms contrary to domestic or EU legislation, the court advised.
Many of the country's 1,100 full-time firefighters are also affected by the over-55 ban.They have now set up a sub-committee to have the matter reviewed, said Mr Brian Murray, chairman of the National Firefighters' Committee.
"If people are capable of working as firefighters beyond the age of 55 they should be allowed do so," he said.
It was a blanket ban, and only those promoted to grades above the rank of firefighter to sub-officer, station officer, district officer and so on, could avoid it.
Looking for a change in the regulations was tied to the issue of pensions.
A firefighter had to have 30 years' service to claim full pension. But since he might only have joined at the age of 30 or 35 it cut down on his pension rights if forced to retire at 55, Mr Murray explained.
Mr Paul Murray of Age Action Ireland, said that while the organisation understood why physical strength was necessary in some professions, "we all know of people who are very agile at 55 or 65 or more".
People should not be judged by their chronological age alone, he said. Unfortunately, chronological age was used as a cut-off point in a wide range of areas.
A case centring on a Killarney fireman, Mr Donal Grady, who was asked to retire when he reached 55 last June, is currently before the courts.