Campaign

(31 January 2023) Age Action is reiterating their call for Government to set up a Commissioner for Ageing and Older persons to bring an appropriate level of insight, representation and transparency to policy on ageing and older persons, and to help prevent scandals such as the recent revelation of a secret state policy to deter older persons from taking cases to challenge being charged for nursing home care.

(Monday 17 October 2022) 

In advance of the vote on the Social Welfare Bill 2022, Age Action is calling on TDs and Senators to raise the weekly rate of social welfare by at least €20 to lessen the impact of inflation and the likely rise of poverty and deprivation in 2023.

(Monday 26 September 2022) A nominal increase of €12 on the rate of the full contributory State Pension [from €253.30 to €265.30] would leave older persons €11.68 per week worse off than they were in terms of the spending power of the State Pension in January 2022 says Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation on ageing and older persons, reacting to reports that the Government intends to increase the State Pension by €12 in Budget 2023.

(Tuesday 20 Sept. 2022) Age Action today responded to Minister Humphreys’ announcement of reforms to the State Pension by sounding a warning that there is a risk that the measures will lead to inequalities and unfairness for large groups of workers.

(16 August 2022) The savings and incomes of older persons could lose 15-20% of their spending power by the end of 2023 putting many older persons at risk of poverty unless the Government takes action in Budget 2023 warns Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy agency on older persons and ageing.

(Tuesday 26 July 2022) 

Budget 2023 – No Ordinary Budget for Extraordinary Times

Age Action Calls for €23 Increase in the State Pension

Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation on ageing and older persons, is calling for a €23 increase in the State Pension saying that Budget 2023 cannot be an ordinary budget. Age Action argues that Budget 2023 needs to deliver an evidence-based increase in the State Pension that is poverty-proofed and equality-proofed – a €23 increase in the State Pension is the minimum amount required to maintain the State Pension’s spending power. The reality of high price inflation is that the full rate contributory State Pension will lose €22.80 in spending power in 2022 and will further lose spending power in 2023 as inflation will still be high.

(Saturday 23 July2022) 

Age Action welcomes the Taoiseach’s announcement of a plan to allow flexible access to the State Pension, but care is needed to ensure that the proposals are fair and do not reinforce existing inequalities in the system. Extensive stakeholder engagement is now needed on these new proposals.

Press Release: Joint NGO Statement on Energy Poverty and Energy Pollution

Environmental and anti-poverty organisations join forces to call for common solutions to both energy poverty and climate  pollution

The NGOs are calling for sweeping cross-Government action to simultaneously eliminate energy poverty and reduce Ireland’s polluting emissions by 51% by 2030

(15 June 2022)  On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Age Action is reiterating the call for the establishment of a Commissioner for Ageing and Older Persons, with a supporting legal framework, that will ensure that we are all treated with respect and on an equal basis with the rest of the population in older age.

3,871 notifications of abuse for persons aged over 65 was reported in the HSE’s National Safeguarding Report 2021. Immediate family members are identified as the person of concern in reported cases of abuse of people over the age of 65.

(13 April 2022) As Ulster Bank and KBC Bank Ireland prepare to exit the Irish market, Age Action is calling for a transparent process to be initiated across all the banks, which allows customers the opportunity to switch their accounts in a timely manner with the appropriate level of support and staffing levels to meet customers’ expectations.