Brendan O'Connor: 'Is gradual retirement answer to the crisis?'

Introducing a more flexible attitude to quitting work could have valuable social, emotional and economic benefits

'Phased retirement is perhaps an idea whose time has come in Ireland' (stock image)

Brendan O'Connor

We'll be lowering the retirement age to 60 if we keep going like this. The major parties, apparently blindsided by the issue, are struggling to chase the more leftist parties on appeasing the mythical grey vote.

Grey voters, as everyone knows, are deeply committed voters, many of whom have time on their hands to get behind an issue, so it is seen as folly to get on the wrong side of them.