Policy

(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.

(Tuesday 13 September 2022) 

Age Action, as a member of the Safguarding Ireland Adviory Committee, is supporting Safeguarding Ireland's call for a major increase in the number of adults making an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA), in order to safeguard and reduce adult abuse.

(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.

(26 May 2022) How do we address older persons' unmet housing needs now and ensure future needs are addressed?

That is the question discussed at the Simon Communities of Ireland, Simon Talks series, on 26 May. Key policy responses identified by Nat O'Connor, Age Action's Senior Public Affairs and Policy Specialist, included the need to implement universal design best practice across private and social housing, measures to provide security of tenure for renters as we see an increasing number of older people renting,  financial products to faciltiate people who want to 'right size' their home and supports to enable people to adapt their home to meet their needs. In general, a rights based approach to the design and implementation of housing policy is needed to ensure housing adequacy for all of us as we age.

Watch Simon Talks' Addressing Older Persons' Unmet Housing Needs.