JUDGES will be allowed to take early retirement at the age of 65 under a new scheme being introduced following the referendum allowing their salaries to be cut.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said the scheme was cost neutral for the Exchequer as any judge availing of it would take a reduced pension.
“This is designed to bring the judiciary in line with the rest of the public services following the referendum decision,” said the spokeswoman.
She said that other public servants could take early retirement under 65 on the basis of actuarially reduced pensions, depending on their length of service.
As Supreme Court and High Court judges have a retirement age of 72 and Circuit Court judges retire at 70, a lower age limit of 65 has been set for those who wish to take early retirement.
The scheme will not apply to District Justices who already retire at 65.
“It is reasonable following the referendum to bring the judges in line with the wider public service but they should be allowed to avail of early retirement on the same basis,” said the department spokeswoman.
Judges are entitled to a full pension after 15 years’ service for a much shorter length of service than applies to most of the public service.
