Fine Gael to face age and gender discrimination complaint at Workplace Relations Commission

Former secretary alleges she was forced to retire at 65 and Fine Gael refused her request for a longer working career

Fine Gael is to face the Workplace Relations Commission on Thursday after a secretary alleged she was forced to retire. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

Fine Gael is to face the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Thursday after a former secretary alleged she was forced to retire.

The woman involved says she was forced to retire at 65 and Fine Gael refused her request for a longer working career despite granting a similar request to a male secretary.

The hearing will take place remotely on Thursday morning.

The former secretary claims her request was rejected just months after the party arranged a one-year extension for its then (male) general secretary, who had turned 65 four months earlier.

"This age and gender discrimination complaint has formed the basis for the employment equality adjudication by the WRC," a statement on behalf of the former secretary said.

"The decision to force her retirement was made by the party’s trustees — including leader Leo Varadkar — during the 2020 election campaign. The issue of mandatory retirement at 65, and then having to spend two years on the dole before qualifying for a State pension, emerged as a major election issue.

"During that January-February election campaign, senior Fine Gael politicians repeatedly stated that their policy was that all employees should be allowed to remain in their jobs beyond 65 or until 70, if they wished to and enjoyed good health."

There is no statutory retirement age at which an employee must retire (with some exceptions in the public sector).

Fine Gael has been contacted for comment.