Working until the age of 70?

Sir, – So the ESRI has in its infinite wisdom recommended that the qualifying age for the State pension be raised to 70? Many of the working population will be expected to toil away for 50-odd years until they can finally enjoy their well-earned retirement.

Are we penalising our greying population and hoping that by kicking the pensionable age down the line by a few years a few of us will have kicked the bucket in the meantime and saved the State even more money? Why not make a recommendation on how to build up another €16 billion in the National Pension Reserve Fund to match that which was used to bail out the banks?

We need to look after our ageing population, not punish those without a voice, and to think of their quality of life, rather than see our elderly as a financial burden. Please God, we will all grow old. The means to be able to do so with some grace should be afforded to all Irish citizens. – Yours, etc,

PAUL MOORE,

READ SOME MORE

The Downs,

Mullingar,

Co Westmeath.