Are you going to retire at 66

facehugger99 · 24-01-2026 11:12PM

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malibu4u · 25-01-2026 12:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124177372#Comment_124177372

The average pay for a Garda in Ireland is 67,900 euro. That means Gardai retiring now after 30 years service get a lump sum of 103,000 tax free and an annual pension of about 42,000 for the rest of his or her life. ( as Gardai retiring get pension of 50% of retiring salary, not average career salary - that is why some get promotion for a month or so before retirement ).

And you have the stupidity to think that by comparing that to the average private sector pension is apples and oranges?

40% of people in the private sector do not have a pension and for those that do, it is an average of only 4,400 per year. Admittingly they get the old age pension as well but there is still a massive discount.

Stop any Irish person over 66 at the airport and chances are, statistically, they will be ex public sector. Fact.

OrangeNinja · 25-01-2026 01:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124177358#Comment_124177358

Ridiculous really. I know from personal experience because i work with two ex Gardai both retired on a massive pension and both working part time driving a minibus. One had over 30 years service so we figured he must have finished on at least 1200 a week so to be getting 600 a week for nothing and then a state pension on top of that in a few years is pure madness.

elperello · 25-01-2026 01:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178360#Comment_124178360

They don't get the State Pension on top of the AGS one.

His entitlement to the State Pension will be based on his contributions in the other employment.

mun1 · 25-01-2026 01:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178360#Comment_124178360

dont think gardai recruited before 1995 get state contributory pension along with gardai pension as they are class D1 PRSI, similar to semi state workers .

Could be wrong

littlefeet · 25-01-2026 02:16PM

Always turns in to something public service, also comes across as people expecting lifestyles when they retire that they never had when they were working, as far as I'm concerned every EMT Nurse and Garda (with the very odd exception ) deserves every penny they get in their retirement.

Mother Shaboobu · 25-01-2026 02:25PM

Nothing new that the public sector retirement plan can be a lot better than those of private companies. My father worked for the council from 1977 to 2007, retired at 61. His pension was nearly 50%! Nothing like that in the public sector now of course.

littlefeet · 25-01-2026 02:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124176089#Comment_124176089

You might have misunderstood me, I meant the state pension + say a 6k pension = roughly 20k which could be challenging to adequate for someone on their own but if it was a couple both with state pension + 2 pensions of 6k each would be in a much better position financially.

yagan · 25-01-2026 02:44PM

I still don't know anyone retired who takes a 5star holiday every second month.

It seems to me that those who had hobbies and interests before they retired had an easier transition. I had an uncle who retired on a full service pension, very healthy all his life but without the regularity of his job I think the stress of not knowing what to do got too much for him and he had a debilitating stroke after six months. He was bed bound until his eventual slow demise years later.

My dad was near his retirement date when that happened and what happened his brother in law frightened him into taking up golf which he had never been keen on, but he grew to love it and then he got twenty great years playing all around the country. He even went on a few golf club trips abroad, before that he had never even held a passport!

If you don't have interests or hobbies outside of work then no amount of money can fill the shock of the void.

malibu4u · 25-01-2026 02:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178574#Comment_124178574

I did not misunderstand you. For those private sector workers lucky enough to have a private pension (and 40% do not), it @ 4100 per year plus the old age pension is only 19,100 per year on average. Long way short of the average public sector pension.

Dublin Calling · 25-01-2026 02:50PM

My father worked for 'The System', as he called it. Retired at 65, got a years salary as a fax free lump sum. Spent the lump on his hobby. 50% pension, index linked to the current Job's grade, I think it is in turn linked to a PO. At this stage they have gone on several cruises and traveled the world visiting all the friends and relatives who ever invited them over.

For years he earned more from his pension, than I did working in a 'good' private sector job. I always joke that he is the last generation with a gold plated pension. All he can do is agree with me:-)

Mother Shaboobu · 25-01-2026 03:00PM

My mother retired in 2007 from nursing (doctor's surgery) at 60. Stressful, sometimes emotionally draining job. It was May when she retired, so Summer was lovely for her and my also newly retired father, but then when Autumn/Winter hit, she started to struggle. Found herself having a long lie-in every day, staying up until all hours watching TV/DVDs, the lie-ins would get longer. She was living like a young student, and it started affecting her mental health. She didn't miss her job but she missed the structure, routine etc. Since 1964, she had been either working or raising children or both. She felt lost, unanchored, and she struggled with motivation. So she visited her GP, was diagnosed with mild depression, and prescribed a course of anti-depressants. She created her own routine, realised there are plenty of things to do, and made sure to set her alarm for 8.30 every morning and go to bed no later than 11 every night... and within no time she was loving retirement, and still does.

I totally get the struggle to adjust though.

littlefeet · 25-01-2026 03:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178630#Comment_124178630

Those sort of pensions were unsastainable that's why there gone but in those days unions were very strong.

littlefeet · 25-01-2026 03:42PM

The only couple I know going on five star holidays had their own business which they sold. The rest whether it's golf, hiking, or cycling or cruises it's off peak times, the beauty of retirements is the ability to go off peak or grab a cheap flight to Spain in February for a few weeks sun. The time to do indepth research so go off track do something different not 5 star.

The new auto enrollment pensions will change the landscape hughley because everyone will have to have a pension.

malibu4u · 25-01-2026 05:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178612#Comment_124178612

If you were the average retiring Garda in 2026 with the average tax free pension lump sum of over 100k and the average Garda pension of over 40,000, you could well afford to go on weekend breaks or city with Ryanair to Europe 5 star hotels every 2 months quite easily by shopping around. A lot of 5 star hotel can be got in Europe for 200 a night or less. Even 20 of those a year is only 4000 euro. As my Uncle brags, and he is a retired Garda himself, you could spend 20,000 a year as a retiree on holidays and still have more money left over than the average private sector pensioner who never goes on holidays. That is why he and and wife are always on holidays. They might as well. They are not long back from Australia, they do a long haul holiday every year too.

yagan · 25-01-2026 06:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124179138#Comment_124179138

All true, but we're all millionaires in Vietnam!

In fairness there's sound financial arguments for retiring to cheaper countries if you're confident that you can comfortably access and negotiate health care options abroad.

We've done the living in a hot country for years and I appreciate our climate a lot more for that. I avoid any destination when temps go over 30c for months, but some people love it.

I know people who were financially much better off selling up here and retiring to Spain, but once the serious illnesses racked up negotiating the system there became too much as their cognitive faculties declined. So family had to help them move back, but at least the extended family have access to the holiday home!

malibu4u · 25-01-2026 06:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124179260#Comment_124179260

Nothing to do with millionaires in Vietnam, and the topic of relocating never came up. Nice attempt at diverting though.

yagan · 25-01-2026 07:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124179280#Comment_124179280

Does it really?

I only quoted you because you mentioned it was possible to 5star holiday every second of they went to cheaper countries abroad.

I stayed at a 5star hotel in Myanmar that was $20 a night!

But nice deflection.

midlander12 · 25-01-2026 07:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178360#Comment_124178360

If they started before 1995 (which they must have), they'll get no state pension unless they work up a heck of a lot of contributions from the mini-bus job.
Those who get the pension (post-1995 intake) have their work pension reduced by the amount of the state pension.

Not saying it isn't a great pension.

Jack Daw · 25-01-2026 08:19PM

Impossible to be able to afford to retire at that age as I'll almost certainly never own my own home so have to still pay rent I imagine so Ill have to keep working for as long as possible.

I doubt that a state pension will even exist at that stage either (27 years time).

Boomers all over the western world essentially pulled up the drawbridge and fucked over their children and grandchildren's generations.

ancapailldorcha · 25-01-2026 08:44PM

I'm saving and investing but the odds of me becoming a property owner are very slim. I'm also based in England which isn't looking super at the moment.

I see myself working unless/until something happens to destroy my health.

malibu4u · 25-01-2026 08:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124179755#Comment_124179755

Pre '95 and post '95? End result is that a Garda who started work out of school in say 1994 can retire in 2024 with lump sum tax free of well over 100k and over 40k annual pension on average. For Gardai who joined in 1996 can now retire with the same lump sum and total pension, on average. So no real difference pre 95 and post 95.

Yes, I agree with you, its a great pension. It is also index linked and state guaranteed. Gardai, teachers, nurses etc have a luxurious pension compared to most.

midlander12 · 25-01-2026 09:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124179979#Comment_124179979

I wasn't suggesting there was any real difference, I was simply pointing out that the pre-95 ones don't get the state pension as well as their work pension.

Meeoow · 25-01-2026 10:40PM

When I was younger, I said I'd be bored when I retire. But the older I get, I can't wait to retire. I hate my job.

I'm not a big spender, and I have the option to buy UK pension credits, so I'll probably go for about half the full contributions.

JM2300 · 25-01-2026 11:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124180293#Comment_124180293

Why not find another job then if you hate your current one?

gipi · 26-01-2026 12:07AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124179979#Comment_124179979

The garda who retires in 2026 with 30 years service must wait till they are 66 to get the state pension part of their integrated pension, even if they retire at 58-60 years.

Civil and public service pensions are not index linked - increases are linked to the pay deals agreed for working staff. Last pay deal was worth about 2 or 3% over 2 years. Those who get the state pension as part of their overall pension get whatever is announced in the budget each year - again, not index linked.

State guarantee could mean nothing if the government of the day decide otherwise. During 2009-2012,civil and public service pensioners had their pensions cut, took years to restore.

malibu4u · 26-01-2026 12:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124180570#Comment_124180570

So a 49 year old Garda retiring this year in 2026 has to make do with a tax free lump sum of well over 100k and an annual pension of over 40 a year, until they are 66 and they get an integrated pension, which leaves them no worse off.

And yes, public sector pensions do get increased same as public sector pay. If you google it you will see average public sector weekly earnings in Ireland rose to €1,173.07 by Q3 2024, marking a 4.4% annual increase.

My Uncle who is retired is very grateful for his pension and the increases.

elperello · 26-01-2026 12:55AM

AGS, Firefighters (full time) and nurses are 24/7/365 jobs with a lot of pressure.

It's a good thing to look after them in retirement.

Masala · 26-01-2026 02:07AM

am getting ready in 18 month to go! Am out the gap on 65 birthday with the company scheme kicking in

Just bought an electric bike with all the panniers etc on the last chance of Cycle to Work Scheme so as be ready for those short trips to get my morning coffee and morning read,!

greenbin2 · 26-01-2026 08:41AM

Think I would be bored if I retired, now I really enjoyed the coronavirus lockdowns, but I was home with wife and kids so had loads to do everyday

Are you going to retire at 66

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