The mandatory retirement age for prison service personnel, fire fighters, and members of the Defence Forces will increase from 60 to 62 years of age today.
The new regulations have been signed by Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, and follow the enactment of the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation Act earlier this year.
Under existing rules prison service personnel, fire fighters, and members of the Defence Forces have been legally obliged to retire when they turn 60 years of age.
However, the changes mean that people in these positions will now be allowed to keep working until they turn 62, if they wish to do so.
The new rules had been sought by representatives of public service frontline workers, as the changes will give personnel more options in the final years of their careers.
The Department of Justice said separate changes to the mandatory retirement age for gardaí are due to follow shortly.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that the decision to increase the mandatory retirement age is a "common sense, sensible measure".
Speaking to reporters in Listowel, Co Kerry, he said changing the retirement age from 60 to 62 will benefit both the public and people working in the sector.
"We see all too often people being forced to retire, people who have so much to give to our uniform services, people who often don't want to retire, and having listened to those people and having passed primary legislation, today the regulations have been signed," he said.
In a statement, Mr Martin said the mandatory retirement age changes for members of the Defence Forces "reflects modern society, allowing members who want to remain in service longer to do so".
Defence Forces Chief of Saff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy also welcomed the changes, saying: "Our members are our greatest asset and are central to everything we do, this is why the increase of mandatory retirement ages for all ranks has been a priority for me."
In a separate statement, Minister McEntee said the new mandatory retirement age for prison service personnel "reflects the reality across all sectors that people can and want to work in their chosen careers for longer".
"I am confident our uniformed public services will benefit from the extended contribution of these experienced staff members.
"The new retirement age for prison officers comes into effect from today and I look forward to bringing forward the relevant provisions for gardaí in the early autumn," Ms McEntee said.
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The General Secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) said the increase in retirement age is being "viewed with scepticism" by many of its members.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Lieutenant Colonel Conor King said it was introduced without any consultation with the representative associations.
He said that while it will allow a small number of people to extend their service and work for longer, it does "absolutely nothing" to change the "completely inadequate" pension terms for Defence Forces personnel who have joined since 2013.
Lt Col King said RACO has carried out research which shows that 79% of this cohort - which is 50% of the membership - saying they cannot afford to stay in the Defence Forces, meaning that unless the pension terms are fixed then changing the retirement age "is simply window dressing".
