Policy

(10 February) Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation for older people is calling for the Government to review the use of vaccines for people over the age of 70 following the recommendation of WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in people over the age of 18 without an upper age limit.

(Monday 8 February 2021) Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation for older people responds to the announcement by Minister Humphrey’s of the Benefit Payment for Over 65 Year Olds.

 Paddy Connolly, CEO Age Action said ‘A year to the day since people went to the polls, the Government has attempted and failed to address a key election issue with the design of the Benefit Payment for Over 65 Year Olds.

While it is welcome that people forced to retire at 65 because of mandatory retirement clauses don’t have to sign on the dole now to get a needed social welfare payment, they are still expected to make do with approximately €2300 per year less than the State pension. This piecemeal approach to pension reform continues to drive inequality experienced by older people in retirement. The correct response from Government would have been to address the issue of mandatory retirement clauses and deliver an adequate social safety net in retirement.’

ENDS

(9 December 2020) The STOP67 campaign has welcomed the removal of the pension age increase to 67 years on 1st January next in the Social Welfare Bill which will be debated in the Dáil today (9th December, 2020). 

The campaign, which helped to make the pension age increase a controversial and dominant issue during the general election in February 2020, includes the National Women’s Council (NWC), Age Action, Active Retirement Ireland and SIPTU. 

Today, Tuesday, 8th December 2020, the HSE and Age Action Ireland are launching an older-age friendly guide – How to Use the COVID Tracker App. The guide is part of Age Action Ireland’s Getting Started KIT which supports learning and the use of technology and digital services.

Age Action Ireland worked with the HSE to develop this resource specifically for older people who need some help with online activities so they can use the App as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(13 November 2020) The STOP67 Coalition has expressed its disappointment at the failure of the Government to appoint sufficient members to the Pensions Commission who reflect the interests of those most affected by the proposed pension age increase and, in particular, organisations representing women and older people. The Coalition includes the National Women’s Council (NWC), SIPTU, Age Action and Active Retirement Ireland.

In a letter to An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, the Coalition said it was “shocked and surprised” that the Commission does not include the representatives of so many of those directly affected by the proposed pension age increase. This followed the announcement by the Government of the members of the Commission, which is due to assess whether the pension age should be increased to 67 years and to set out a future plan for the pension system.

(14 October 2020) Budget 2021 did not offer the majority of older people the support they need to meet the rising cost of living that is anticipated by the impacts of the carbon tax, COVID-19 and Brexit and it did not contain adequate measures  to support us to age in place.

(13 October 2020) 

AGE ACTION CRITICISES GOVERNMENT FOR FAILURE TO PROTECT OLDER PEOPLE WITH BUDGET 2021

Just Transition undermined with lack of financial support for majority of older people to deal with Carbon Tax

Age Action has said that the Government’s Budget 2021 choices did not include measures to protect the majority of older people on a fixed income from the rising cost of energy.

(11 October 2020)  State must intervene directly in ‘dysfunctional housing market’, says letter to Housing Minister

Age Action joined with trade unions, housing bodies, political parties, women’s organisations, students' unions and civil society groups to jointly call on Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to ensure Budget 2021 makes “a clear and decisive break” with the failed policies of the past and for the State to “intervene directly in our dysfunctional housing market.”

The joint call is made in a letter to Minister O’Brien from the Raise the Roof housing campaign ahead of Budget day, on October 13: 

(09 October 2020) Age Action welcomes the recommendation of the Oireachtas Special Committee on COVID-19 Response that a public inquiry be established to investigate and report on all circumstances relating to each individual death from Covid-19 in nursing homes.

As we look to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as a society it is crucial that older people are not further left behind and that enduring inequalities which have been exacerbated as a result of the pandemic are addressed. Addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities of ageing requires a whole-of-Government approach.